It was early in the morning and there was nothing good about that morning really. I was starving and my granny had left for work. She was working as a peasant and my uncle Denis was out drinking. My granny came back with nothing and I found her crying in her room. Her tears felt like heavy rain floods. We were used to going to bed on empty stomachs and we always found our courage in prayer.

As arduous as the circumstances were, I never missed a day in school. I was so determined about my studies because I knew that there was always light at the end of the tunnel.

The most devastating moment of my life was when my granny passed away, she got killed in a car crash. My whole world came to an end, my heart was broken. I know we struggled to make ends meet but uMakhulu always tried by all means to make me happy and she would tell me fairy tales every night before we slept.

I used to feel protected and whenever I felt sad, she would say, “Go to my bedroom and under my pillow you will find consolation.” It was my mother’s picture, my granny would start telling me about how much I reminded her of my mother. She told me that I had her brown eyes and that I was short in height too like her precious daughter. I knew that my granny would never desert me, I couldn’t digest the fact that she was no more and mind. I was only 12 years old.

Some nights my uncle came back drunk and started demanding food. He knew that there was no food. He would hit me, molest me and claim that I was his. He took away my pride. I grew up with anger issues and I was struggling both emotionally and spiritually.

I was a naive girl and I ended up in the streets. I got into prostitution for a period of about six months, I would sleep with affluent men and they would pay me huge amounts of money. I gave up on life and all the men saw was a vulnerable girl who they could take advantage of.

I am a fully grown woman now, I have mended my ways. It is all thanks to a good Samaritan who took me under her wing, she supported me financially while helping me find myself.

I had developed so much hatred for men but I know now that God will deal with my cruel moron of an uncle.

I am currently doing my second year in BCom accounting at the University of Free State. No matter how painful and heart-breaking your story is, it’s all in the past and you must learn to live in the moment.

My experiences have made me be more intentional with life. I started writing and socialising with people, I gave myself a second chance to discover, be more accountable, grow and most importantly be able to make wise decisions that will bear fruitful results for me.

Tell us: what experiences have made you intentional with your life?