its possible!

My father did not have the best of relationships with my mother but that was something i understood and did not want instill in my mind. he made sure i attended one of the best schools with the that little he had, that was one of the best gifts my parents gave me, EDUCATION. he was the only one providing for us until he was hospitalised and diagnosed with severe diabetes. i thought i d lost my anchor! That moment was the worst stage of my life. As young as i was, I had to step out of my comfort zone and be there for my mother.

In Year 2008 , My father lost his job and we had to move to Matatiele which is a small town where my father grew up. Life took a turn for me because i was used to living a city life. We had lost our financial supporter and my mother had to step up and continue with obtaining her educational degree. My little sister could not get the chance to experience the benefit of being spoiled by my father and for that i knew that some day, i would change that. 3 years later that year, i had to move to a public school, that whole experience for was life changing and it is in that moment i had to appreciate the value of life and what it offers. Life became harder though because my father’s character had to change as he started to mishandle my mother and me as well. Everything became bitter and blurrier as life unfolded itself into something foreign. i started doubting myself and the woman i would become. i had always gotten straight A’s at school but i have never felt confident about my self, i have never found value within me. Years went by and when i stepped into high school. i met friends that pulled me closer to God. My relationship with my mother strengthened and she instilled affirmations that gave me the power to yearn for success and God’s presence. i had to make sure that i meet her halfway by achieving good grades and being the good girl she had always hoped for. i understood the pain she experienced with having to have no support in raising us and i had to take that with me throughout high school. Year 2019, i was doing my matric and i lost my angel, my grandmother, my parents separated and i lost my friends. At the same time i had to keep up with the pressure of being in matric but guess what! i picked myself up and reminded myself why i started this journey. i was still unsure about the career that i wanted to do. Throughout trials that year had to offer, i chose to survive and do better and get bigger.
Year 2020, i am in university to obtain a science degree , I love it!. through everything, i know that God has better plans for me, the strength within me is ready to takeover everything i ve always wanted. i dont have everything yet but everything that i am about to acquire is ready for me. i m still fighting my self-esteem but i know that the time God is done with me, i will be like a city set on a hill. I plan to start a project that would help girls narrate their stories through clothing and art. And its possible!

Photo credit: Image courtesy of the storyteller.

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Boitumelo Kortjass

I am a 19 year old girl from Matatiele and i m currently studying at Walter Sisulu University