It only took one day . . .

From a life of pizza's,burgers and cakes to a life where she took her porridge with jam because they couldn't afford sugar. A life where pap crust and soup became her supper. A life where feeding scheme peanut butter became her everyday after school snack.

From a life of having her own room to a life where she had to share one room with more than eight people. A room that turns into a bathroom in the morning,a lounge during the day, a kitchen in the afternoon and a bedroom of eight plus people at night.

A life where night time became a horror because she knew the minute lights went off an army of cockroaches will start crawling out from their hiding while she pretends to be asleep. She can still hear the sounds of cockroaches flying right on top of her head from one wall to another.

From a life where she had a collection of Disney princess dvd's, a life of Bunny,Dora's, tablets and a life of bedtime stories. To a life where she even forgot what that a tv exist. A life where the only time she saw or used a phone was when she and her friend illegally called the police on Telkom public phones.

From a life of Pampers, Purity and Cerelac to a life where her little brother had to wait a few more minutes in order for his "cloth" nappy to be changed because there weren't enough. She had to witness a life where her mom had to boil fruit so that her  little brother could at least experience the closest thing to Purity.

Was it her fault though? That her father was a drinking,cheating bastard that abused her mother that she couldn't stay any longer? No, it wasn't.

Was it her fault though??? ..  It was never her fault,she had to live with that. She had to adapt and learn that life can change in a blink of an eye. She had to be strong for herself, her sibling and her mom. Her mom had to change scenery and she had to adapt. . .After all, she is Black and she was only eight years old ...

Photo : Qhama Nokwali