I was born and raised in the shacks of Joe Slovo in a Township called Wonga a
Joe Slovo in a Township called Wonga a
Joe Slovo in a Township called Wonga a few kilometers outside Cape Town where
few kilometers outside Cape Town where
few kilometers outside Cape Town where fires would erupt every month we slept
fires would erupt every month we slept
fires would erupt every month we slept with our minds and our ears alert of the
with our minds and our ears alert of the
with our minds and our ears alert of the signal which means fire in is across we
signal which means fire in is across we
signal which means fire in is across we eventually found ways to save ourselves
eventually found ways to save ourselves
eventually found ways to save ourselves and the little assets that we owned from
and the little assets that we owned from
and the little assets that we owned from the deadly fires of Joe Slovo imagine
the deadly fires of Joe Slovo imagine
the deadly fires of Joe Slovo imagine having to say to your friend ensure in a
having to say to your friend ensure in a
having to say to your friend ensure in a way that makes it easier to pick up as
way that makes it easier to pick up as
way that makes it easier to pick up as you ran for your life
the number of times that fires erupted
the number of times that fires erupted exceeded my measure of remembrance and
exceeded my measure of remembrance and
exceeded my measure of remembrance and there was a time when a fire erupted in
there was a time when a fire erupted in
there was a time when a fire erupted in the middle of the night and we all woke
the middle of the night and we all woke
the middle of the night and we all woke up and laughed as that was the third
up and laughed as that was the third
up and laughed as that was the third occurrence for the month we laughed
occurrence for the month we laughed
occurrence for the month we laughed because the pain was too much to be and
because the pain was too much to be and
because the pain was too much to be and the only way we could express this was
the only way we could express this was
the only way we could express this was true laughter the fires weren’t even the
true laughter the fires weren’t even the
true laughter the fires weren’t even the hardest thing because crime was our
hardest thing because crime was our
hardest thing because crime was our daily portion my mother would pray every
daily portion my mother would pray every
daily portion my mother would pray every day as I went to school that I would
day as I went to school that I would
day as I went to school that I would come back safely into her arms the sound
come back safely into her arms the sound
come back safely into her arms the sound of gunshots was my lullaby and an empty
of gunshots was my lullaby and an empty
of gunshots was my lullaby and an empty stomach was my bedtime story nothing
stomach was my bedtime story nothing
stomach was my bedtime story nothing could ever tantamount to the amount of
could ever tantamount to the amount of
could ever tantamount to the amount of fear that I experienced as I slipped
fear that I experienced as I slipped
fear that I experienced as I slipped hoping that tomorrow would be a better
hoping that tomorrow would be a better
hoping that tomorrow would be a better day I would
day I would
day I would walk a kilometer to to relieve myself I
walk a kilometer to to relieve myself I
walk a kilometer to to relieve myself I would walk another kilometer to find
would walk another kilometer to find
would walk another kilometer to find water I would watch my neighbors greets
water I would watch my neighbors greets
water I would watch my neighbors greets its other with eyes begging for survival
its other with eyes begging for survival
its other with eyes begging for survival and hearts longing for a slice of bread
and hearts longing for a slice of bread
and hearts longing for a slice of bread for water to drink and for a better life
in the sack I loved with three strong
in the sack I loved with three strong woman one of which being the woman who
woman one of which being the woman who
woman one of which being the woman who gave birth to me she gave birth to me
gave birth to me she gave birth to me
gave birth to me she gave birth to me when she was young she had nothing to
when she was young she had nothing to
when she was young she had nothing to her name no substance to existence and
her name no substance to existence and
her name no substance to existence and no position of value and she used to say
no position of value and she used to say
no position of value and she used to say that I was the only valuable thing that
that I was the only valuable thing that
that I was the only valuable thing that she had and that I was her hope for
she had and that I was her hope for
she had and that I was her hope for change and those words uttered to me
change and those words uttered to me
change and those words uttered to me when I was five years old
when I was five years old
when I was five years old stuck with me ever since from that
stuck with me ever since from that
stuck with me ever since from that moment I made a choice to be the change
from that moment I started dreaming I I
from that moment I started dreaming I I dreamed and I dreamed and I dreamed I
dreamed of finding hope in my hopeless
dreamed of finding hope in my hopeless situation I don’t know how or why but
situation I don’t know how or why but
situation I don’t know how or why but there was a burning desire inside of me
there was a burning desire inside of me
there was a burning desire inside of me that reminded me that there was hope at
that reminded me that there was hope at
that reminded me that there was hope at the end of my tunnel hope to fulfill all
the end of my tunnel hope to fulfill all
the end of my tunnel hope to fulfill all of my ambitions and the only way I could
of my ambitions and the only way I could
of my ambitions and the only way I could do this was to dream
the idea of dreaming the fantasy it was
the idea of dreaming the fantasy it was unrealistic it was not in the local
unrealistic it was not in the local
unrealistic it was not in the local vocabulary of my community because in
vocabulary of my community because in
vocabulary of my community because in Joe Slovo there was no hope the only way
Joe Slovo there was no hope the only way
Joe Slovo there was no hope the only way to survive was to breathe mother’s would
to survive was to breathe mother’s would
to survive was to breathe mother’s would cry for mercy every night as they would
cry for mercy every night as they would
cry for mercy every night as they would loan sugar and bread just to feed their
loan sugar and bread just to feed their
loan sugar and bread just to feed their kids and during all this difficulty I
kids and during all this difficulty I
kids and during all this difficulty I remembered my dream for a better life
remembered my dream for a better life
remembered my dream for a better life and the stream reminded me that this
and the stream reminded me that this
and the stream reminded me that this shall not last forever my dreaming then
shall not last forever my dreaming then
shall not last forever my dreaming then began to manifest as it started
began to manifest as it started
began to manifest as it started directing my choices and as that
directing my choices and as that
directing my choices and as that occurred I was bullied in primary school
occurred I was bullied in primary school
occurred I was bullied in primary school I was bullied because I had a dream for
I was bullied because I had a dream for
I was bullied because I had a dream for a better life I was bullied because I
a better life I was bullied because I
a better life I was bullied because I refused to succumb to what was the norm
when my peers would talk about boys and
when my peers would talk about boys and alcohol and drugs I would divert
alcohol and drugs I would divert
alcohol and drugs I would divert conversations to dialogue about creating
conversations to dialogue about creating
conversations to dialogue about creating a prosperous future that will take our
a prosperous future that will take our
a prosperous future that will take our families out of poverty and suffering
families out of poverty and suffering
families out of poverty and suffering and for sparking those conversations I
and for sparking those conversations I
and for sparking those conversations I was labeled as weird I was rejected I
was labeled as weird I was rejected I
was labeled as weird I was rejected I was laughed at for being the short
was laughed at for being the short
was laughed at for being the short lonely girl who is weird every day as I
lonely girl who is weird every day as I
lonely girl who is weird every day as I went home I would fall into the souls of
went home I would fall into the souls of
went home I would fall into the souls of my mother crying as every day
my mother crying as every day
my mother crying as every day would be a distinct form of bullying as
would be a distinct form of bullying as
would be a distinct form of bullying as it is committed it worsened every year
it is committed it worsened every year
it is committed it worsened every year as my passion for my dream ignited more
as my passion for my dream ignited more
as my passion for my dream ignited more fire inside me I was only bullied by
fire inside me I was only bullied by
fire inside me I was only bullied by society and and my peers but I was
society and and my peers but I was
society and and my peers but I was rejected by my father he left my mother
rejected by my father he left my mother
rejected by my father he left my mother and I when I was young and he rejected
and I when I was young and he rejected
and I when I was young and he rejected me he never called on my birthdays they
me he never called on my birthdays they
me he never called on my birthdays they visited me never even paid child support
visited me never even paid child support
visited me never even paid child support and for a while I had thought that I was
and for a while I had thought that I was
and for a while I had thought that I was not meant to be loved because I didn’t
not meant to be loved because I didn’t
not meant to be loved because I didn’t know what a Father’s love was but my
know what a Father’s love was but my
know what a Father’s love was but my mother reminded me that I didn’t need
mother reminded me that I didn’t need
mother reminded me that I didn’t need all I thought it was necessary to travel
all I thought it was necessary to travel
all I thought it was necessary to travel on this journey of finding my purpose
she said that I needed to focus my time
she said that I needed to focus my time and energy on the narrow path just
and energy on the narrow path just
and energy on the narrow path just towards finding and fulfilling my reason
towards finding and fulfilling my reason
towards finding and fulfilling my reason for existence it was during this time
for existence it was during this time
for existence it was during this time where I got to spend a great deal of
where I got to spend a great deal of
where I got to spend a great deal of time on my own instead of sitting with
time on my own instead of sitting with
time on my own instead of sitting with friends I would sit alone and write down
friends I would sit alone and write down
friends I would sit alone and write down all my ambitions hopes and dreams
and it is during this time where I
and it is during this time where I discovered so much about myself it was
discovered so much about myself it was
discovered so much about myself it was during that time I discovered that I am
during that time I discovered that I am
during that time I discovered that I am talented and smart it was during this
talented and smart it was during this
talented and smart it was during this time where I decided on working on
time where I decided on working on
time where I decided on working on building my confidence it is during this
building my confidence it is during this
building my confidence it is during this time way I got to find out about myself
time way I got to find out about myself
time way I got to find out about myself what I like what I don’t like my
what I like what I don’t like my
what I like what I don’t like my strengths my weaknesses my talents and
strengths my weaknesses my talents and
strengths my weaknesses my talents and gifts and everything that makes me who I
gifts and everything that makes me who I
gifts and everything that makes me who I am I became comfortable with the fact
am I became comfortable with the fact
am I became comfortable with the fact that the bullying and suffering was my
that the bullying and suffering was my
that the bullying and suffering was my obstacle that I had to overcome that I
obstacle that I had to overcome that I
obstacle that I had to overcome that I had to break through all the negativity
had to break through all the negativity
had to break through all the negativity and force out the positivity out of
and force out the positivity out of
and force out the positivity out of those negative situations I say that
those negative situations I say that
those negative situations I say that those were the best years of my life
because it was during then when I
because it was during then when I decided discovered that I had the
decided discovered that I had the
decided discovered that I had the potential to change my circumstance to
potential to change my circumstance to
potential to change my circumstance to change my community and to change the
change my community and to change the
change my community and to change the world I say that those were the best
world I say that those were the best
world I say that those were the best years of my life because it was during
years of my life because it was during
years of my life because it was during this time I discovered that I could do
this time I discovered that I could do
this time I discovered that I could do anything that I put my mind to I stand
anything that I put my mind to I stand
anything that I put my mind to I stand here with so much strength and I am
here with so much strength and I am
here with so much strength and I am wiser I am the product of my dreams I am
wiser I am the product of my dreams I am
wiser I am the product of my dreams I am the product of my mother’s prayers I
a survivor of poverty suffering
a survivor of poverty suffering rejection and difficulty I am the first
rejection and difficulty I am the first
rejection and difficulty I am the first person in my family to attend the
person in my family to attend the
person in my family to attend the University of Capetown I am a successful
University of Capetown I am a successful
University of Capetown I am a successful entrepreneur I am a public speaker a
entrepreneur I am a public speaker a
entrepreneur I am a public speaker a dancer an actor an emcee and a theatre
dancer an actor an emcee and a theatre
dancer an actor an emcee and a theatre and performance student yes it took time
and performance student yes it took time
and performance student yes it took time for my mother to fully understand my
for my mother to fully understand my
for my mother to fully understand my dreams of becoming an artist but she saw
dreams of becoming an artist but she saw
dreams of becoming an artist but she saw my consistence my perseverance my hard
my consistence my perseverance my hard
my consistence my perseverance my hard work my determination and my
work my determination and my
work my determination and my unwillingness to change my mind about my
unwillingness to change my mind about my
unwillingness to change my mind about my dream because I was the only one who
dream because I was the only one who
dream because I was the only one who knew what my dream was therefore I
knew what my dream was therefore I
knew what my dream was therefore I couldn’t allow anyone to deter that for
couldn’t allow anyone to deter that for
couldn’t allow anyone to deter that for me you are the one who knows what you
me you are the one who knows what you
me you are the one who knows what you dream is no one else but you
therefore never allow any circumstance
therefore never allow any circumstance anyone or anything to take it away from
anyone or anything to take it away from
anyone or anything to take it away from you I stand here with so much strength
you I stand here with so much strength
you I stand here with so much strength and I ask you to find strength in your
and I ask you to find strength in your
and I ask you to find strength in your dream
I could have laid my dream burned in the
I could have laid my dream burned in the filings of Joe Slovo but I lit a fire
filings of Joe Slovo but I lit a fire
filings of Joe Slovo but I lit a fire inspiring motivate me may you find
inspiring motivate me may you find
inspiring motivate me may you find strength in your dream and may you find
strength in your dream and may you find
strength in your dream and may you find hope in your face
”
Be First to Comment