Twasiima Bigirwa

Twasiima Bigirwa (she/her) is a Ugandan born daughter of Africa. She is a storyteller, poet and artist. Twasiima is the author of three collections of poems: ebyeshongoro bya Debra (songs of Debra), okwetonganira kwa Stefie (Stefie’s speech) and ebirooto bya Josie (Josie’s dream). Her latest book The Weavings of Life is a collection of stories based in and around the lives of contemporary Ugandan women. Through her writing, Twasiima reflects on questions of identity; the lingering effects of colonialism on Africans; the need to reclaim language and spirituality; amongst other quests on the journey of reclaiming selfhood. She is interested in exploring through her art the ways history and the present are shaped and altered, with the ultimate intention of reconstructing from the colonial imagination. Twasiima writes in English and Runyankore. 

Before she was writing full time, Twasiima worked in and around international development; working in private philanthropy to direct resources to communities across Africa; with local and international NGOs mobilising and organising for policy and institutional changes; and as an advocate for causes related to the material conditions of our lives. She continues to believe in the work of movements that exist on the peripheries of society as crucial to our collective liberation.

Twasiima has a Bachelor of Laws from Makerere University and a Master of Laws from Georgetown University – Law Center.

During her fellowship, Twasiima will be working on her first novel; a historical fiction that merges East African mythologies and cosmologies to create an epic tale. Twasiima is affiliated with the CRG Conflict Continuities.

You can reach her at twasiimabigirwa.net