Continuation from Post 10. There was another piece of the story that eventually forced me to reconsider how I understood those difficult years. My second uncle, my grandmother’s middle child, worked as a security guard. At some point, he confided in a family friend about his inability to assist me…

Continuation from Post 9. My mother’s efforts to support my studies eventually took her to Gauteng, where she worked briefly as a domestic worker. While there, she became seriously ill. She told me that she was sick and wanted to come home, but she did not have money for transport.…

Continuation from post 6. I matriculated and went to university, as you know, but the challenges remained. The Vice-Chancellor’s scholarship covered my tuition fees, but I still had other expenses to cover. There were registration fees, study-related expenses, and, importantly, transport. I was living at home and travelling from the…

In an earlier post, I suggested that there might be a pattern emerging from these stories: A difficult situation arises. I cannot see how it will be resolved. Eventually, I recognise what is beyond my control and focus on the small part that remains within it. Then I carry on.…