MY THUG LIFE!
GROWING up, I was a naughty kid and my parents did nothing to reprimand me as a child because they thought I would outgrow the behaviour but it continued to primary school level.
Things became worse when we moved to a rough neighborhood in Broadhurst. At Standard Four, I had one friend but things started to change when my friend and I were recruited into gangs by the older boys in our school. These gangs were involved in various things such as stealing, fighting and bullying, just to name a few. At first it seemed to us that they cared about us since they started teaching us how to do these things, this continued all of my primary school years.
After observing how the other boys were doing it was my turn to start stealing at school. This is how it happened, the leader instructed me to steal at least 3 bags that day in order to prove my worth and commitment to the gang. I failed to do so and I got 2 slaps because I only managed to steal one bag. After my unsuccessful mission and punishment I felt bad, angry, sad and anxious to do better. This made me steal five bags at school the next time. My gang leader was happy because of that, and I was rewarded with P20, a cigarette and a joint; I had proven my worth to them which made me proud and want more. While this was happening, my parents did not notice anything, I remained a good child when I was around them.
By the time I was in Standard Seven I had better skills when it came to stealing and I stole more bags, money and electronic devices which made people fear me more. As this was happening my parents still had no clue about what
I was doing at school because I was a bright student who got straight As even in Standard Seven exams. The thought of junior school for me was exciting because it meant making more money. First day after orientation, I got into a fight and injured 2 Form Two students who were misbehaving in school. The fight was reported to my parents and by that my cover at home was blown.
My parents punished me and I was also suspended for 21 days at school which gained me more control on the students. Since I did not stop what I was doing after my suspension, term 2 of Form One I got into a fight with a group of three students but I lost that fight. By that I felt disrespected and angry and therefore sought revenge the same day with my boys backing me up. This made my schoolmates and teachers fear and dislike me even more but I felt powerful! I got into more fights and had many bad records at school and even at the police as a result of that.
While I was still doing that I did not see myself doing anything bad because being like that made people fear me which made me feel like I was powerful and respected. Term 3 of Form 1, I started selling weed at school and got suspended because some students were caught smoking it. My parents’ response was punishing me and giving me advice to behave respectfully but that did not stop me as I still continued what I was doing. When I was about to get expelled during Form 2, my mother transferred me to another school in Francistown and I lived with my aunt and continued my Form 3 there.
At my new school, I still chose bad company and continued to bully people and disrespect teachers. My parents still supported me because they assumed that it were my friends who influenced me to do the things I was doing. I was suspended when we started writing Form 3 examinations but I still managed to pass. Even in Form 4, I still continued my bad behaviour of stealing, bullying, smoking, fighting and disrespecting teachers which made me get suspended. Again, when I was about to get expelled my mother transferred me back to Gaborone to continue my Form 5 at Gaborone Senior Secondary School and there I was suspended 3 times. The first suspension I was caught by the teachers with weed at school, the second time was for bullying students and the last time I stabbed another student with a knife at school.
In every suspension, my mother was disappointed, hurt, sad and really angry and she took me to see a counsellor but I never listened to what they said until now. When I first started counselling, I thought it was a waste of my time but as I continued with the sessions, I began to think more of what my counsellor was saying and started to reflect on my life. The reflection on my life made me want to change the way I led my life.
Change for me meant cutting ties with my friends, ending activities that destroyed my health and future plans. This behaviour change was not easy for me since I lived that kind of lifestyle for most of my life. I started working at my uncle’s carwash, which for me was a second chance in life in terms of being responsible. I decided to quit all illegal activities I did in order to lead a new life of being an accountable and trustworthy person who has dreams and aspires to have a great career. I was lucky to have parents that never gave up on me and always tried to help me be a better person.
If you think that you might have a substance abuse problem, or if you have a friend or family member who does, we encourage you to seek help. For some, it can mean the difference between life and death. You can find BOSASNET on Facebook, visit us on www.bosasnet.com, or call us on 3959119 or 72659891 for more information. news.thevoicebw.com
Modise was quick to pledge Stanbic’s unwavering support to improving lives and uplifting communities, noting the bank’s relationship with BOSETU was a key part of this. Giving remarks on behalf of the Union President, BOSETU Treasurer General, Samuel Odirile Aboneng stressed Covid-19 had hit the education sector hard. Describing the pandemic as ‘a national tragedy’, Aboneng ruefully revealed many teachers have already lost their lives to the virus. “The education system has been disrupted. You go to institutions across the country, students are in isolation, teachers are in isolation, the sector is no longer as it was,” he added grimly. Aboneng further highlighted BOSETU’S belief that teachers will play a key role in propelling the country to a knowledge-based economy. However, he warned this vision will remain a dream for as long as the nation’s teachers keep succumbing to Coronavirus. Aboneng also criticized government for failing to provide teachers with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as their role as frontline workers demands. Praising Stanbic for stepping up in time of crisis, Aboneng concluded, “We as BOSETU need to note that we have been very humbled by Stanbic Bank, our partner, for having come forth to recognize the efforts teachers put in the education sector to preserve the future of this country.”
Reiterating his comrade’s sentiments, BOSETU Secretary General, Tobokani Rari admitted the situation in the teaching fraternity was ‘disturbing’ as far as Covid-19 is concerned. Rari applauded Stanbic’s gesture as ‘exceptionally welcome and much needed’, adding the gift of PPE would ultimately save lives.