Surviving in the face of adversity

Despite being shunned by her family and leaving from hand to mouth, the 21-year-old is determined to make a success of her life and not give in to drugs and prostitution like many teens in Botshabelo

Alone. Not in solitary confinement, but alone and lonely in the wilderness where her family  chased her into, leaving her to fend for herself while exposing her to the unthinkable hazards which – like a famished predator – prowl the land day and night, in wait for weakened prey. More often than not, the quarry happens to leave defenceless children and women.

This more or less sums up the tragic story of Pulane Lekhooa (21) of Botshabelo. After spending her entire life around 11 extended family members – all of whom survived on social grants – she woke up one day to be told she was no longer welcome in the five-roomed house she had known as her only home. Yet, she continues to demonstrate unusual obduracy and resilience in the face of her tribulations.

The Kgoro Ya Thuto high School grade 10 student has since early this year been depending on the goodwill of Good Samaritans for food and lodging. These include neighbours and friends.

Lekhooa never knew her father; her mother away while she was still young, leaving her to be raised by her grandmother who was stripped of the right to receive a social grant on her behalf because she was misusing it. Lekhooa then recommended a neighbour she trusted to receive her grant, but her grandmother scuppered this arrangement, leaving the then 18-year-old to her devices.

“I am an orphan living with my grandparents, my sister, one niece, two uncles, four cousins and aunt. Our only source of income is my grandparents’ old age pensions and my siblings’ social grants. I do not receive any social grant; I was told I do not qualify because of my age. Therefore, I have to seek alternative means to get money for food and clothes, including my school uniform because my relatives are not willing to help me,” she confided in The Weekly, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She sometimes goes to bed on an empty stomach as she is not allowed to eat food she did not buy.

Her boyfriend, who is about her age, shares his pocket money with her. Sometimes members of her community who know about her situation take her in and give her money. But when she goes back to her grandparents’ home with money, they spend it without asking where she got it from.

“When I come home with money and spend it on food and electricity, no one will ask me where I get the money. They are just happy to spend the money I bring, but I am not allowed to eat without permission in my own home. Where should I go when I am exorcised from my home? “This breaks my heart, but I will never fall into the trap of prostitution,” said Lekhooa, continuously wiping her tears.

Lekhooa’s precarious situation is not uncommon in Botshabelo where young people’s daily challenges could be likened to literally treading on a minefield. Although she graduated from her teen years without falling pregnant, she finds herself between a rock and a hard surface; exposed to sexual molestation and the danger of getting killed while roaming the streets from one place to another.

However, she has found comfort from other young people who volunteered to help their peers to make good choices in their lives. These young people are members of the Elohim Skill and Development Academy in Botshabelo. This academy has no financial support but visits school and encourages learners to develop good characters and adhere to good moral values.

“We are young and, because we are at the same level, there is no communication barrier at all. We are also from the same community and are faced with the same challenges, but we decided to empower ourselves. Young people are willing to change and, through our motivation, some of them have shown willingness to change,” explained Kedibone Tshwelesa.

It is not an easy task for these young people. Although they themselves come from impoverished backgrounds and could not further their studies, their crusade is fuelled by nothing other than a common passion to make a difference in their community.

“We have been doing this for just few months, but we can tell you that we can see change. Boys are now starting to pay attention when we talk and are showing respect for what we are trying to achieve. They now confide in us about personal stuff. This shows that they trust us and believe we can help them.”

The motivational sessions are not the only way these young people bring change. They even help learners who struggle academically. Elohim volunteers even fill in for teachers and teach on their behalf. They do not get any payment for this; they do it for free.

Another girl child who has benefitted from this initiative is Mookgo Staat (16). She fell pregnant last year and she has one month old baby now. Staat admits she was reckless as she paid little attention to the warnings about the consequences of her actions.

“I cannot say peer pressure made me do it (have unprotected sex) since none of my friends has a baby. It was just one moment of weakness and I am now paying the price. I now regret it. But I am lucky that I never contracted HIV.”

Meanwhile, the Life Orientation (LO) head of department at Leratong Secondary School, Joseph Nthebe has applauded Elohim’s efforts to help learners at his school deal with challenges such as drug and substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and gangsterism.

The founder of the Elohim Academy, Lerato Ramatsa called on interested people, business and non-government organisations to lend a helping hand. Elohim’s basic need is funding and possible counselling skills for young people involved in giving motivational talks to learners.

“I came up with the idea last year but only registered the academy in February this year. I need a building to provide these young people with basic computer literacy and life skills. I was raised in Botshabelo and it was never easy growing up here. I want to give back by changing other people’s lives.”