Lucky Kgwaripe - My life story

Matlabla Primary School

Adopter: Lagarge Education Trust

This is the 2nd time that Lucky wins our essay competition!

My name is Lucky Kgwaripe, I am 13 years old and I was born on the 5th of March 1997 at Chris Hani Hospital in Soweto. I lived in Kliptown. Seven years later I went to Mozambique at Maputo where my father was born. When I arrived in Mozambique I was introduced to my father’s family who are my uncles, my aunt Maria Louisa, my grandfather Pedro Mabote, my grandmother Anna Mabote and others.

In Mozambique I lived with my Aunt Maria Louisa and she loved me so much. After some time I was diagnosed with Malaria which was caused by mosquitoes. I nearly died but because I had a caring Aunt, she was there throughout the whole sickness. There is a very high rate of poverty in Mozambique. Men are often fishers.

I stayed in Mozambique for four years and I came back to South Africa in 2007 and I couldn’t speak any language but Portuguese. I was staying with my Aunt and her two children. We were taken to Matlaba Primary School and we got registered. I started school from grade 3. Learners at school started calling us ‘makwerekwe’ as we could not speak or hear Setswana and it was a harsh word for me. At break time I did not play because I did not have any friends and I worked very hard at school to understand and speak Setswana in order to communicate with everyone.

One year later my aunt Maria Louisa passed away with my grandmother and my uncle. I was very broken hearted because I loved them very much and I still do because they are now my ancestors. Today I am in grade 6 and I work very hard because in future I want to be a doctor to help sick people because my mother was diagnosed with TB (tuberculosis). Today I am happy because my mother is on her medication and now I am happy because I met my father’s family and I can speak both my mother’s tongue, and my father’s tongue. And now I am very thankful to my school because I today I can speak Setswana and English.

“Because of Adopt-a-School, Bodibe Dream League brought joy to the educators and learners of this village (boys and girls soccer). Our school, Molekane, boys won the soccer league and became champions of 2009. As a token of appreciation we got new soccer kits – twice! Our boys even won a trophy, two computers and a printer for our school. Our boys even went to Johannesburg to play with other provinces’ champions. We lost but it was an adventure to us. Learners from our school even went to environmental lessons in Mafikeng. The enrolment of learners has increased because og the trip we took to Johannesburg this year. For boys to sleep in a hotel was a privilege to them. They even saw Danny Jordaan. Our school management team were trained in computer skills and some educators too. This was done to enhance our education” Mbali Motaung, Grade 6, Molekane Primary School, adopter: Lafarge Education Trust