When her parents get a divorce, Hope’s world suddenly turns upside-down. She is forced to move with her mother back to the township, where she finds her uncle Oscar is no longer the fun guy she had always loved. A long bout of unemployment had crippled him and, along with the depression that follows her mother, the new beginning that Hope was promised is all covered in dark clouds. And that’s the least of her problems. People already look at Hope strangely because of the discolouration on her face, and attending a new school with her rare skin condition really scares Hope.
She gathers her courage though when arriving at the township school that has been completely vandalized by a gang of students who intimidate everyone, including the teachers. Instead of books, they carry knives in their bags and, when Hope seeks Principal Letsaolo’s help in passing her impending matric exams, she discovers that it is the local drug lord Bra Biza who is actually in control of the school.
Either the township will break Hope, or she finds a way to matriculate and own her future. Deep down, the lost spirit of the rock, Imbokoda, rises within her, and what Hope does at her school creates a bright light in a hopeless world.
About the Author: Pastor Makhado Sinthumule Ramabulana is renowned as an active member of his community. He campaigns against social ills like gangsterism, drugs and prostitution that are rife amidst the climate of desperation in poverty-stricken townships. He cares deeply for the children who grow up in such environments, and goes to great lengths to restore their dignity. An economically emancipated and educated youth is his vision, and “My African Dream” records the responsibility we have to our future.
ENDS. 293 WORDS.
Leave a Comment