Grade 7, Motheo Foundation
I wish I can knock some sense to her but I won’t give up. She will understand one day that it is her right to be happy with her achievements. My name is Zenile and I am a 13-year old girl. I have a friend who is very beautiful and very smart with her school work. Her name is Aletha. She never wears a proper school uniform, always without a lunch box. Ohh! You must read her poems she is such a good writer. She has always loved painting.
Aletha did not come to school again today, and on Monday as well. Let me ask my mom to go and see her so I can take this homework to her so she can also prepare for a class test on Thursday.
Zenile: Good afternoon grandmother. Is Aletha at home? Can I please speak to her?
Grandmother is not looking at me but she just shouts, ‘Aletha, your friend is here.’
Aletha: I am at the back grandma, I am coming.
She comes from the back holding a big paint tin and looking so beautiful.
Zenile: I don’t mind seeing you this dirty but that is a very beautiful talent. Do you know that we can ask an elder to sell this painting for you?
Aletha: Hello Zenile, what are you doing here? Besides, who would want to buy my painting? I do this work to get away from things.
Zenile: Things? Do you mean school? I came here so I can give you the school work and a heads up for a class test on Thursday. Are you okay, Aletha?
Aletha: Wow! Thank you so much Zenile. You are a dearest friend. My grandma is blind and she hasn’t been feeling well this whole week, so I need to be here for her. She is my everything. She has taken care of me since I was a baby. My mom left me at her doorstep and she took care of me since then. It might be so difficult now, but she is an amazing grandma, full of love, laughs and in a lot of pain also. I think she is trying to hide her pain for me.
Zenile: I am so sorry to hear that. I was not aware of your grandmother’s illness. Come sit down and let’s do this school work together. I will speak to my mom and see if she can’t help with your grandmother. My mom is a doctor.
On my way back, from Aletha’s house, I couldn’t stop my tears. I know my parents can do something and it’s a good thing my mom is home already. Let me rush so I can talk to her.
Zenile: Good afternoon, Ma. Thank you for allowing me to go and see Aletha. She told me that she didn’t go to school because her grandma is blind, and has been sick this week. MaGrade 7, Motheo Foundation did you know that Aletha was raised by her grandmother? Ma, Aletha has such a beautiful talent. You must see her paintings and poems. You’d be blown away.
Mom: Oh, Zenile now you made me cry too! Come hug me! It’s okay Zenile, let’s go to Aletha’s house now so I can see how I can help with her grandma. Please take my doctor’s bag quickly.
Zenile: Thanks Ma. Let’s rush. Do you mind if we pack food for them?
Mom: No, my baby. Let’s do that quickly. We will use the car.
As we pull over at Aletha’s house, my mom is telling me a lot about children’s rights. A right to education. I need to speak to Aletha. There’s more information that we need regarding that. As we walk in, we find grandma in the same place. My mom speaks to her and she is such a warm person. She jokes about her blindness. My mom takes out her medical tools and starts checking up on Aletha’s grandma. She asks questions and takes her clinic card to look at it. I think she is trying to get her medical history.
Mom: Grandma, I need to take you to the hospital.
Grandma: Don’t worry my child, I won’t be going to the hospital. I won’t leave my beautiful Aletha alone here. I won’t be able to afford medical bills.
Mom: It’s okay grandma. I will make sure you get all the necessary treatment and I will take care of Aletha until you come back.
Aletha: Oh no! I am not going anywhere. I will stay here and wait for grandma to come back. I will go to the market to sell my art so I can pay for grandma’s medical bills. Thanks for your help. I will also pay you as soon as I sell my paintings.
My mom started crying. I can’t hold back my tears too. My mom hugs Aletha for a long time, then sits down to talk to her.
Mom: Aletha, can you paint? Can I please see your art work?
Aletha rushes to the back and brings 3 paintings.
Mom: Wow! Aletha, did you do this? These are beautiful, you have such a talent. I am speechless.
Aletha: Thank you, ma’am.
Mom: Can I ask you to sign these paintings so that I can take them to the hospital? The hospital will buy them and put them on the hospital office walls. In the meantime, pack your school books and uniform. We are going to take grandma to the hospital, but you and Zenile are going to prepare for school tomorrow.
I saw that my mom is trying to show Aletha how important she is and how much of a gift she is to her grandma. I can’t stop my tears and I hear grandma coughing and asking for water. My mum jumps up and attends to grandmother as Aletha brings water.
My daddy called and after a few minutes, he was here. We are on our way to my house with Aletha. My mom and grandma are rushing to the hospital. Aletha is not okay so she had a bath and went to bed. She is very quiet. ‘Aletha,’ I say, ‘let’s study about children’s rights.’ As we sit and read the rights, I am amazed at how she explains each right according to her understanding. Aletha is very wise. She is so clever.
Aletha: Zenile, I didn’t know that I was throwing away my chances. I didn’t see the need to go to school or that I deserve a social grant. I thought being at home was enough. All I was looking forward to was painting. It stopped bothering me that I do not to have food. I always listened to grandma’s jokes and slept like a baby. I hope she is well.
On our way to school, we were talking about a clean environment. Aletha is making so many jokes about this right.
We get to school and classes start. I can see Aletha is not okay today. Finally, it’s the last period. We are on our way home and soon, hopefully, there will be an update about grandma. Tomorrow we have 3 class tests to prepare for. I can’t wait to be an adult!
It’s 4 o’clock in the afternoon and we are waiting for my father to take us to Aletha’s house to see if everything is all right. Yoh! Someone is painting Aletha’s house and all the furniture is outside. Aletha rushes to collect and pack her paintings. My father asks her to take all the important documents they have in the house, like her clinic card and birth certificates. She says that she does not have that at the house, as their house once burnt and they lost their valuables. Grade 7, Motheo Foundation
My father is shocked and asks her, ‘So when you get sick, how do you go to the clinic?’ She says, ‘I don’t. I drink water and I go to sleep.’
‘This is not right,’ my father said, and hugged her. ‘We will go and fix that, don’t worry.’ My parents are such a blessing. This is so wrong because Aletha has a right to a name and nationality to access proper health care. We are at home and my mom called grandma so that Aletha can speak to her. She seems so happy to talk to her. We go to the bedroom and get busy with our studies.Aletha’s mood has improved a lot after that phone call.
School holidays are the best. Aletha’s grandmother is at home. She wears glasses now and she uses a stick to walk. We got our school report cards and we both have passed. We are so excited.
My father bought us clothes so we are very happy. Aletha has her documents sorted and grandma is getting social grants for both herself and Aletha. My favourite part about all this is that Aletha got a scholarship for next year. She says she is going to be a doctor. Grandma is her manager and the hospital has bought all her paintings. We are one big family now.
My best friend is now my sister – it is so nice. Grandma cooks the best meals and makes the best cakes. She says we must sell her cakes for her and she makes us laugh a lot.