Early life and education

Calixthe Beyala is a writer from Cameroon who is part of the Eton people. She was born in Sa'a, Cameroon, to parents who are also from Cameroon.

Her aunt and grandmother had a big impact on her growth. She listened to her grandmother's stories, which gave her ideas and encouraged her to work hard to build a meaningful career.

Beyala attended the École Principale du Camp Mboppi in Douala. Later, she studied at the Lycée des Rapides in Bangui and the Lycée Polyvalent in Douala.

At age 17, she received a scholarship to study in Paris, where she earned a baccalaureate.

Career

After living in Spain for several years, she published her first book, C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée, when she was 23 years old. She then decided to become a full-time writer.