Participants in FunDza’s fourth Write4Life Creative Writing Workshop “Branding Me”, held at Etafeni Fit for Life, Fit for Work in Nyanga, each wrote a “bio-poem” to introduce themselves to the rest of group.

(A biography is an account of someone’s life.)

You can try this too! The format for the poem is laid out below. Just add in words that describe the type of person you are to make it into your own bio-poem.

I am (first name only)
(two adjectives that describe you)
Who cares about (two people or things)
Who feels (two things)
Who needs (two things)
Who worries about (two things)

I am (first name only)
Who dreams of becoming (two things)
Who will need…to get there (two things)
I believe (one things)

I am (first name only)
I am (first and last name)

***

Faniswa Magida

I am Faniswa
Friendly and Faithful
Who cares about her baby and her mother
Who feels good and excited
Who needs education and a job
Who worries about being unemployed and poverty

I am Faniswa
Who dreams of becoming an actress and a Public Manager
Who will need money and support to get there
I believe in God

I am Faniswa
I am Faniswa Magida

***

Khangela Magxa

I am Khangela
Cool and Friendly
Who cares about her mother and her child
Who feels joy and happiness
Who needs to support her family and have her own house
Who worries about not getting a job and money

I am Khangela
Who dreams of becoming a Manager and a Teacher
Who will need support and money to get there
I believe that God will help me

I am Khangela
I am Khangela Magxa

***

Christine Thandeka

I am Christine
Confident and strong
Who cares about her aunt and brother
Who fells good and flexible
Who needs money and good education
Who worries about money and a job

I am Christine
Who dreams of becoming a nurse and care mother
Who will need achievement and knowledge to get there
I believe in God

I am Christine
I am Christine Thandeka

***

Asanda Bona

I am Asanda
Friendly and honest
Who cares about her son and her future
Who feels happy and excited
Who needs a job and money
Who worries about finding a job

I am Asanda
Who dreams of becoming a Social worker and a wife
Who will need education and a permanent job to get there
I believe in myself

I am Asanda
I am Asanda Bona

***

Ziyanda Mlomo

I am Ziyanda
Respectful and Friendly
Who cares about her mother and grand mother
Who feels happy and excited
Who needs education and success
Who worries about her mother and family

I am Ziyanda
Who dreams of becoming a Social worker and a Journalist
Who will focus and work harder to get there
I believe that everyone should respect each other

I am Ziyanda
I am Ziyanda Mlomo

***

Nompumelelo Ganya

I am Nompumelelo
Friendly and Strong
Who cares about her brother and aunt
Who feels happy and good
Who needs money to go to school and a good job
Who worries about not getting a job and money

I am Nompumelelo
Who dreams of becoming a good mother and a Travel Agent
Who will need to achieve her goals and a job to get there
I believe in God

I am Nompumelelo
I am Nompumelelo Ganya

***

Andiswa Mtengwane

I am Andiswa
Respectful and Friendly
Who cares about her mother and sister
Who feels great and happy
Who needs success and a job
Who worries about her future and family

I am Andiswa
Who dreams of becoming a Social worker and a family woman
Who will need money and a job to get there
I believe in respecting other people

I am Andiswa
I am Andiswa Mtengwane

***

Bulelani Kuse

I Bulelani
Calm and Loving
Who cares about his mother and his sister
Who feels fresh and happy
Who needs education and support
Who worries about poverty and diseases
Who will need education and finances

I believe in God’s existence

I am Bulelani
I am Bulelani Kuse

***

Nocawe Sweetness

I am Nocawe
Strong and Confident
Who cares about her sister and her son
Who feels diligent and comfortable
Who needs a job and a place to stay
Who worries about her family and her future
Who dreams of becoming a Poet and a Social worker
Who will need money and support to get there
I believe in education and working by myself

I am Nocawe
I am Nocawe Sweetness

***

Zelda

I am Zelda
Charismatic and fluent
Who cares about nature and old people
Who feels good and excited
Who needs a job and education
Who worries about rape victims and survivors

I am Zelda
Who dreams of becoming a Paramedic and a Fire fighter
Who will need education and money
I believe that God can give me my hearts

I Zelda
I am Zelda Mahlathi

***

Masixole Maswazi

I am Masixole
Friendly and Caring
Who cares about the future and his family
Who feels happy and overjoyed
Who needs success and education
Who worries about his future and his family

I am Masixole
Who dreams of becoming a Paramedic and a Social worker
Who will need education and assistance
I believe that I can do anything I commit myself to

I am Masixole
I am Masixole Banele Maswazi

***

Siviwe Bathwali

I am Siviwe
Hopeful and Confident
Who cares about his family and people
Who feels hope and achievement
Who needs a better future and a job
Who worries about his education and his future

I am Siviwe
Who dreams of becoming a role model
Who will need education and money to get there
I believe in co-operation from everyone

I am Siviwe
I am Siviwe Bathwali

***

Pule Thoane

I am Pule
Friendly and Appreciative
Who cares about his family and himself
Who feels happy and angry
Who needs a bright future and support
Who worries about himself and his family

I am Pule
Who dreams of becoming a soccer star and a Businessman
Who will need support and faith to get there
I believe in God

I am Pule
I am Pule Thoane

***

Lunga Gxowa

I am Lunga
Happy and Light minded
Who cares about his family and his body
Who feels shy around people and hurt
Who needs a shoulder to cry on and a caring family
Who worries about the future and his family

I am Lunga
Who dreams of becoming a role model for youngsters and an IT C.E.O
Who will need education and self-belief to get there
I believe that everybody needs focus

I am Lunga
I am Lunga Gxowa

***