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biography

Award-Winning Author and Multi-Published Poet

A multipotentialite, Gloria D. Gonsalves is an author, poet, illustrator, philanthropist to potential and fellow writers, former United Nations staff, and former tourism and travel professional. She is a self-taught creative writer, proofreader, and editor.

Her humble beginnings in Europe included being a dishwasher, toilet cleaner, and pub waitress. Her writing has appeared in various literary magazines, journals, and anthologies in Africa, Europe, and the USA, including being featured six times by the US-based annual project National/Global Poetry Writing Month (Na/GloPoWriMo). Occasionally, she writes opinion pieces for newspapers. Not just a writer, Gloria is a creative promoter for writing itself: she founded WoChiPoDa, an initiative aimed at instilling the love of poetry in children and young people.

She holds a Master of Science (MSc) in Environmental Sciences (Germany), a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Tourism Marketing (Ireland), and a Diploma (S.A.C Dip) in Professional Proofreading and Editing (UK). In addition to her mother tongue Kiswahili, Gloria is an English fluent speaker and is conversational in German.

Gonsalves is her maiden and pen name. Born and raised in Tanzania, her mother is Chagga from Kilimanjaro, her father is Luguru from Morogoro and half Indian from Goa. She grew up in the town of Korogwe in a family of three. At the age of twenty-six, she migrated to Ireland for further studies. After completing her degree, she moved to Germany, where she completed her master’s degree. Gloria lives in Germany and occasionally in Tanzania.

Gloria prefers to engage in writing than speaking. She will be interviewed only in writing.

Awards & Recognition

2024 Readers’ Favorite Award Contest

Even Flowers Know That Water Is Useless Without Roots: Finalist in Non-Fiction – Cultural genre

2023 Next Generation Indie Book Awards

Alphabet of Flowers: Finalist in Illustrations

2022 & 2021 New York City Big Book Award

Alphabet of Flowers: Distinguished Favorite in the Children’s Educational category
Let’s Go Walking in the Storm: Distinguished Favorite in the Poetry/ Reflections category
Swahili Folklore, A Compilation of Animal Facts, Folktales, Nursery Rhymes, and Songs: Distinguished Favorite in the Multicultural Fiction category
Jai the Albino Cow/Jai Ng’ombe Zeruzeru: Distinguished Favorite in the Multicultural Fiction category

Literary Titan Book Awards

Gold Award Winner: Even Flowers Know That Water is USeless Without Roots
Gold Award Winner: Alphabet of Flowers
Gold Award Winner: Jai the Albino Cow/Jai Ng’ombe Zeruzeru
Silver Award Winner: Let’s Go Walking in the Storm
Silver Award Winner: Lamellia: The Wicked Queen
Silver Award Winner:  Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms
Silver Award Winner: Danloria: The Secret Forest of Germania

2017 John E Weaver Excellent Reads Book Award

Danloria: The Secret Forest of Germania: Winner in the Children’s Adventure category

The Igby Prize for Nonfiction by the Kalahari Review

Kamba Wa Nazi: The winning essay for nonfiction on food

Wildsound Festival 2015 Poetry Contest

Best Poetry of 2015 Runner Up

Readers’ Favorite Five Stars

Jai the Albino Cow: Jai Ng’ombe Zeruzeru, Lamellia The Wicked Queen, Let’s Go Dancing in the Light, Lamellia: The Kingdom of Mushrooms, Danloria: The Secret Forest of Germania, Swahili Folklore: A Compilation of Animal Facts, Folktales, Nursery Rhymes and Songs, and Diamonds Forever received the honour of Five Stars from Readers’ Favorite

Sonne Women of Excellence Icons 2017

Woman of Excellence in Literature

Sonne Magazine’S List of 20 Women of Excellence

Featured on Sonne Magazine’s list of 2016

Tanzania Diaspora Achievement Awards 2013

Tanzania Diaspora Achievement Awards 2013 Awarded in the category Economic Development and Poverty Relief as one of the individuals exemplifying the concept of the ‘Servant Leader’

Author House Author Challenge

Winner of the March  2013 Author House Author Challenge (100 words fictional story/drabble)

poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry

2007: Editor’s Choice Award by poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry

poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry

2006: Editor’s Choice Award by poetry.com and the International Library of Poetry