Life in Babize was difficult, the roads were dusty, houses were built by zinc and wood. In the middle of the town there was a boy named Lwandle. He was a tall, dark and enthusiastic boy. Lwandle lived with his sister and mother.
The residents at Babize were illegal residents, there were times when the government would come and demolish their houses, but Lwandle only heard of that. It never happened ever since he was born. Lwandle was determined to change the situation at home through his education.
One night Lwandle went to sleep late, when he was about to sleep he heard noises from the fellow residents and vehicle sounds. At the sound of that, he woke his mother to ask if the sounds he was hearing could be the demolishers, his mother said that it was and they woke up fast and ran to his grandma’s house who was a legal resident.
Lwandle’s grandma was hard on them since they did not pay any rent. Lwandle’s mother turned into a maid in her own mother’s house. She cleaned, cooked and did everything, that was the way of paying the rent.
Lwandle sometimes came back from school to do the garden. They were not comfortable in the house because they were slaves. All three of them shared the same room and the same bed…well Lwandle slept on the floor. Lwandle couldn’t stop studying with the free education, nothing interfered with his education.
Lwandle was in grade 12 and he promised himself that he’ll do anything to get out of Babize. He worked hard at school and he came through with a Bachelor with five distinctions.
Lwandle had to search for funding after the great ordeal. His mother advised him to seek government funding for tertiary studies and he got the funding for tertiary. He was accepted at the University of Cape Town to study medicine; he was very committed to his studies and passed all his studies. Lwandle never forgot about his parents, he would send some of the money he got from the stipend.
Lwandle finished his degree, he was very happy and already employed because one hospital saw his performance during the seven year period. He was employed and was named the best doctor of the month, every month at that.
Lwandle worked in Gauteng and bought himself a house and his mother a house next to his in Sandton. His mother was very happy and could not believe her fate.
Moral of the story is to never give up, no matter the circumstances. Fight for whatever it is you want.
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Tell us: What is the one thing you never gave up for yourself?
