A new spin on her cycle of life
For thousands of children across KwaZulu-Natal, getting to school means walking long distances, but a new bicycle project is changing that, writes Bernadette Wolhuter
NO M P U M E L E L O Hadebe is awake before the first rays of sunlight reach out across the dusty plains she calls home in Phayekine, just outside Ladysmith.
The warm beams move across the walls of her rondavel and reach Nompumelelo as she prays.
The 18-year-old prays every morning.
She prays for her three younger siblings, who lie sleeping, and her parents.
And she prays for herself, that she might be able to build a better life for her family.
When she is done, Nompumelelo fills a large pot with water from the tap outside.
She cuts a slight figure, heaving it back inside and on to a hot plate on the floor.
After some time, after the water starts gently bubbling, she takes the pot off the heat, leaves it to cool for a few moments and then cleans up for the day ahead.
She slips on a green skirt she ironed the night before and tucks in a yellow shirt with the words Ingula High School emblazoned on the front pocket.
Nompumelelo grabs an apple or – if she has time – makes herself a peanut butter sandwich and, as her siblings’ eyes start blinking open, she is out of the door and on her way to school.
Nompumelelo does know how far she walks.
She guesses that it might be about 6km but it is a trip she has been making since she started high school.
If she leaves at 6.45am, though, she reaches school by around 7.30am.
“I’m late for school sometimes, especially if I had a lot of homework or studying to do the day before because then I get to bed late and it’s difficult to wake up,” she says.
Situated in the province’s highlands, Nompumelelo’s home is too far from the coast to enjoy its moderating effect and the temperature here ranges between bone-chilling cold and suffocating hot.
“In the summer, it’s so hot. Walking here is difficult and when you reach school, you’re sweating and tired and you can’t concentrate,” she not says. “And in winter, when it rains…” Her voice trails off. But come rain or shine – and even if she is going to be late – Nompumelelo never misses a day of school.
“I can’t miss school,” she says, “I want to be a chartered accountant”.
She says she has to work hard to achieve her dream and thanks to one of Eskom’s corporate social investment i nitiatives, Nompumelelo is now going to have more time to do just that.
The power giant, through the KZN Department of Education, gave almost 1 000 needy children who do not have access to scholar transport, new bicycles this week and an excited Nompumelelo was one of them.
In a media statement, the department said the pupils had been selected, from 14 schools, based on how far they had to walk to get to school each day.
“It means I can get to school earlier, and attend all my early morning classes,” she says.
So highly does she prize her new wheels, Nompumelelo says she will not be taking them anywhere but to and from school.
“I’m too scared of something happening to them,” she says.
She does not know how to ride a bicycle yet but that is not going to stop this bold young woman.
“I’ll just learn,” she says, with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’ll just have to.”