This is what I told my niece last night during our sad and intense conversation. She is still young, beautiful, in high schools, smart and intelligent, has now three lovely younger sisters (the youngest stays with her mother) and the two of her younger sisters stay with their grandmother.
- Stay as far away from boys as you can for they can destroy or you can allow them destroy your future,
- If you can’t stay away from boys, minimise them in your life,
- Look after yourself, and your younger sisters,
- I love you,
- Helper you younger sister with her school and homework,
- Never backchat your grandmother and granddaughter and warn your younger sisters against same,
- Education is the only weapon you’ve got to get out of the difficult situations. Of course other things like patience and perseverance are needed to be able to overcome challenges in life
- Whatever you’re going through right now – and your younger sisters – will strengthen you. This, however, is not to say what you’re going through right now is right or wrong. You will later look back at these challenges and be grateful for the woman they had made you become at that point in your life,
- You are special and beautiful.
This is the niece whose mother I dedicated a poem to.
Akanyang Africa 