Marie-Christine Koundja was born on March 30, 1957. She is a writer and diplomat from Chad who has worked in many government offices, ministries, and embassies in her country. She was the first woman from Chad to have her books published. She wrote two novels: Al-Istifakh, ou, L'idylle de mes amis (2001) and Kam-Ndjaha, la dévoreuse (2009).

Biography

Koundja was born in 1957 in Iriba, a town in eastern Chad. After finishing secondary school, she studied law for one year at the University of N'Djamena. She then paused her studies to attend a secretarial school in Yaoundé, Cameroon. She worked for several government offices in Cameroon and later became the minister of Foreign Affairs at the embassy of Chad.

In 2001, Koundja’s first book, Al-Istifakh ou l'idylle de mes amis (published by Editions Clé in Yaoundé), was released. This made her the first woman in Chad’s history to be published as an author. The novel tells the story of two young people who choose to marry despite their parents refusing to give their consent because of differences in tribe and religion. The story ends with the couple living happily in France. Koundja uses their marriage to represent social problems in Chad since 1979 and to encourage a culture of forgiveness.

Later, Koundja became First Secretary at the Chadian Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria. Her second book, Kam-Ndjaha, la dévoreuse (published in 2009 by Éditions Menaibuc in Paris), explores themes such as poverty, infidelity, and friendship.

Koundja is the mother of four children.