Ukukhulela Kwisixeko SaseAfrika
Amanani okwanda kwabemi kumazwe aseAfrika angezantsi kweSahara aphakathi kwawona aphezulu ehlabathini. Apho, ngokomlinganiselo, umfazi ngamnye uzala abantwana abangaphezu kwabathandathu. Ubuhlwempu, ukuwohloka kwemeko-bume nokunqaba kobuncwane bemvelo kubangela ubunzima obungakumbi. Nantsi ingxelo yamava obuqu endlela ekuphilwa ngayo kuloo mmandla wehlabathi.
NDAKHULELA apha, kwesi sixeko sikhulu siseNtshona Afrika. Sasingabantwana abasixhenxe kwintsapho yakowethu, kodwa ababini basweleka besebancinane. Ikhaya lethu laliyindawo eqeshisayo enegumbi lokulala nelokuphumla. UMama noTata babelala kwigumbi lokulala, thina bantwana sasilala ezinkukweni kwigumbi lokuphumla, amakhwenkwe kwelinye icala legumbi namantombazana kwelinye.
Njengenkoliso yabantu esimelene nabo, sasingenamali ininzi, yaye sasingasoloko sizifumana zonke izinto esasizifuna. Maxa wambi kwakungekho nokutya oku kwaneleyo. Kusasa, ngokufuthi kwakungekho kutya ngaphandle nje kombeko werayisi ofudunyeziweyo. Ngamanye amaxesha naloo mbeko wawungabikho. Ngokungafaniyo nabanye abaqiqa ngelithi indoda, ekubeni iyiyo eza nemali, ifanele ifumane okona kutya kuninzi, kulandele umfazi baze abantwana bafumane oko kusalayo, abazali bethu babengatyi baze basiyeke thina bantwana sabelane ngaloo ntwana ikhoyo. Ndandikuxabisa ukuzincama kwabo.
Ukuya Esikolweni
Bambi abantu baseAfrika bakholelwa kwelokuba ngamakhwenkwe kuphela afanele asiwe esikolweni. Banoluvo lokuba akuyomfuneko ukufundisa amantombazana kuba ayenda aze anyanyekelwe ngamadoda awo. Abazali bam babengenayo loo mbono. Basithumela esikolweni sobahlanu. Kodwa oko kwakubatsalisa nzima abazali bam emalini. Izinto zokubhala namaphepha ayengeyongxaki kangako, kodwa iincwadi zokufunda zazibiza imali eninzi, ibe kwakunjalo nangeyunifomu yesikolo ekwakungathandiswa wena xa ifunwa.
Xa ndaqalisa ukungena isikolo, ndandingenazo izihlangu. Abazali bam bakwazi ukundithengela izihlangu kuphela xa ndandikunyaka wesibini esekondari, xa ndandineminyaka eli-14. Ndive kakuhle, andithethi kuthi ndandingenazo kwaukuba nazo izihlangu. Ndandinazo izihlangu zecawa, ibe ndandingavunyelwanga ukuzinxiba esikolweni okanye kwezinye iindawo. Ndandifanele ndihambe ngeenyawo. Maxa wambi utata wayekwazi ukusithengela amatikiti kaduladula, kodwa xa engenako, kwakufuneka singqishe ngeenyawo ukuya nokubuya esikolweni. Yayingumgama omalunga neekhilomitha ezintathu ukuya nezintathu ukubuya.
Usuku Lokuhlamba Iimpahla Nokukha Amanzi
Iimpahla zethu sasizihlamba emfuleni. Ndikhumbula ndisiya apho nomama, owayethwala iemele, aphathe isepha nempahla. Emfuleni, wayegalela amanzi e-emeleni, afake iimpahla aze azisimele. Wayesandula ke azicikice iimpahla phezu kwamatye agudileyo aze azipule emfuleni. Emva koko wayezaneka phezu kwamanye amatye ukuze zome kuba ngendlela ezinzima ngayo xa zimanzi akunakuzithwala ukuya ekhaya. Ndandiselula ngelo xesha, ngoko umsebenzi wam yayikukujonga iimpahla ezanekiweyo ukuze zingabiwa. UMama wayesenza owona msebenzi mkhulu.
Bambalwa abantu ababeneetephu zamanzi kumakhaya abo, ngoko omnye wemisebenzi yam yayikukuya kukha amanzi nge-emele kwimpompo ekude. Ingxaki yayikukuba xa kubalele, iitephu zeempompo ezininzi zazitshixwa ukuze kongiwe amanzi. Ngesinye isihlandlo, latshona elaloo mini singenawo tu amanzi okusela. Kwakungekho nethontsi eli! Maxa wambi kwakufuneka ndihambe iikhilomitha ndifuna amanzi okuzalisa nje iemele. Ukuthwala amanzi entloko kwimigama emide ngolo hlobo kwazikhuthula iinwele zam kwindawo eyayihlala iemele. Kubudala beminyaka elishumi ndandisendinempandla! Ndiyavuya ukuthi ezo nwele zakhula kwakhona.
Abantwana Njengendlela Yokuzikhusela
Xa ndikhangela emva, ndingathi eyethu imeko ebomini yayingembi kangako, mhlawumbi yayiphucukile ngokwendawo esihlala kuyo eAfrika. Kukho ezinye iintsapho ezininzi endizaziyo ezazitsala nzima nangaphezu kwethu. Abaninzi kubahlobo bam endandifunda nabo babefanele baye kuthengisa emarikeni ngaphambi kokuya esikolweni nasemva kokuphuma kwaso ukuze beze nemali kumakhaya abo. Abanye babengakwazi ukufumana into esiwa phantsi kwempumlo kusasa phambi kokuya esikolweni, baze baye esikolweni izisu zithe nca emqolo ibe babehlala esikolweni imini yonke bekhatywe yinkawu. Ndisazikhumbula izihlandlo eziliqela ekwakusithi xa ndisitya isonka sam esikolweni omnye waba bantwana asondele kum aze kundicela. Ngoko ndandiye ndimqhekezele size sitye kunye.
Phezu kwabo nje obo bunzima neengxaki, inkoliso yabantu isakuthanda ukuba neentsapho ezinkulu. Abantu abaninzi bathi: “Ukuba unomntwana omnye akuzalanga. Ukuba unabantwana ababini unomntwana omnye, ukuba bane ngabantwana ababini abo.” Oko kungenxa yokuba umlinganiselo wokufa kweentsana uphakathi kweyona iphakamileyo ehlabathini. Abazali bayazi ukuba nangona abanye babantwana babo beza kufa, abanye baza kuphila, bakhule, baphangele, baze beze nemali ekhaya. Ngoko baya kukwazi ukubanyamekela abazali babo abalupheleyo. Kwilizwe elingenawo amancedo ezentlalo-ntle, oko kubaluleke gqitha.—Ngokubaliswa nguDonald Vincent.