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YiNtatheli kaMthunywa
Mhlawumbe nguye umfundi omdala kulabo bonke abafunda ibanga lesikhombisa emhlabeni. UGogo uAlice Chiwara.
Uleminyaka engu-71.
Ungumfundi webanga lesikhombisa e-Open Minds Learning Centre eChitungwiza njalo wakhetha ukuyafunda ngoba “esekhathele ngokucela abazukulu bakhe ukuthi bambhalele.”
UGogo Chiwara uhamba esikolo ephethe izingwalo hatshi ezabazukulu bakhe kodwa ezakhe, njengabanye abantwana elokitshini.
Wazalwa mhlaka 7 Ntulikazi, ngomnyaka ka 1954, eHurungwe.
Uqala phansi ukwakha impilo yakhe ngemva kokwaliswa ukufunda esakhula ngoba engumntwana oyintombazana.
Utshele intathelizindaba ukuthi: “Abazali babesithi umntwana oyinkazana akumelanga aye esikolo ngoba uzakuba libele lendlela.”
Esikhundleni sokuya esikolo, impilo yakhe yayiphathelene lezokulima, ukuthengisa inkukhu, inyama yembuzi, imibhida kanye lokutheza inkuni.
Eseleminyaka engu-17, wayesendile.
Kodwa ubuhlungu bokungafundi bamlandela waze waba ngumuntu omdala.
Uthe: “Okungenze ngafuna ukuya esikolo yikuthi bengingenelisi ukubala loba ukubhala. Bengingenelisi ngitsho lokugcwalisa amafomu.”
“Ngangithi nxa ngifuna ukubhala incwadi, ngangiyacela ebantwabami ukuthi bangibhalele.”
Kwaba kubi kakhulu lapho eseqala ukuhamba lokuxoxa labeLungu.
“Ngangihlangana labantu abakhuluma isiNgisi njalo ngangingakwazi ukuthi ngibaphendule. Ngangivele ngibakhangele nje,” kutsho uChiwara.
Labazukulu bakhe bamthwalisa nzima.
“Babekhuluma isiNgisi njalo ngangingazi ukuthi ngithini. Lokho lakho kwangikhuthaza.”
Ngomnyaka ka2022, eleminyaka engu-68, wenza isinqumo esikhulu — wabuyela esikolo.
“Ngelanga lami lokuqala kwakulabantwana bodwa njalo yimi engangimdala kulabo bonke kodwa bangitshela ukuthi kulungile.”
Njalo kazange nje abe ngomunye wabo, kodwa, WAPHUMELELA kakhulu.
“Bangihlola njalo ngemva kwenyanga ezimbili bangisa kubanga lesibili . . . Bangeqisa elinye ibanga ngoba ngangisenza kuhle.
“Khathesi usekubanga lesikhombisa, uGogo Alice wenza kuhle okumangalisayo.
“Ngomnyaka ka2025, ngangisenza kuhle kakhulu kulabantwana abanengi. Ngangibedlula bonke ekilasini,” kutsho yena.
“Ngivuka ngo 3 ekuseni ngisenza umsebenzi wami wesikolo. Izifundo zami ziqala ngo 6 ekuseni njalo ngihamba imizuzu engu-45 ngisiya esikolo.”
Ekilasini yakhe, uyintandokazi!
“Abantwana bangibiza ngokuthi ‘gogo’. Abanye bayabuza ukuthi ngileminyaka emingaki njalo ngibatshela ukuthi ngileminyaka engu-10 bamangale.
“Bayangibamba izandla zami bangibuze ukuthi kungani sezitshwabhene lokuthi ngubani ozitshisileyo.”
Kodwa akusibo bonke abamsekelayo.
“Abanye bayangihleka njalo bayabuza ukuthi kungani ngisaya esikolo ngileminyaka engaka,” kutsho yena.
Lanxa kunjalo, uyala ukuthi ayekele. Abantwana bakhe khathesi sebebadala njalo bayamsekela ngokupheleleyo.
“Bayasisekela isinqumo sami njalo bayakujabulela engikwenzayo.”
Kusuka ekuthwaleni nzima ukugcwalisa amafomu kusiya ekuzihambeleni ngokuqiniseka emazweni angaphandle, inguquko yakhe iyakhuthaza.
“Sengike ngaya eSouth Africa le UK. Khathesi sengizizwisisa izimpawu zabo njalo sengisenelisa ukugcwalisa amafomu.”
Umama wabantwana abayisithupha logogo wabazukulu abangu-13, khathesi ufisa ukuyasebenza e-creche.
“Ngifuna ukuchitha isikhathi labantwana… imisebenzi le ilula ngeminyaka yami.”
Uhambo lwakhe selukhuthaza abanye emphakathini.
“Ukuba khona kwami kukhuthaze abadala abanye ukuthi babuyele esikolo.”
Njalo umlayezo wakhe ucacile: “Ukufunda akupheli. Akulandaba lokuthi umdala okungakanani.”
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