Tell Chaka

I won’t say her names; she told me that she was not happy about the extension of the holiday.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

I won’t say her names; she told me that she was not happy about the extension of the holiday.

I asked her thinking that she could tell me the same thing as others had told me, but I found out that her feelings were totally different.

A number of children are happy to start their studies on the 28th of this month. But according to Jackie (Not real name) she is fed up of the holiday.

She wants to go back to school. She is longing for a day when she will be waking up every morning, pick her school bag and go to school.

When I asked her why she wasn’t happy about the changes, she told me that she is the only girl at home who does almost every domestic work.

Jackie is 6 years and stays with her mother. The home has 6 people; a grand mother, a girl and four boys. The boys at home do nothing except fetching water.

It is only Jackie who does the work at home. She mops, cooks, washes clothes, sweeps and takes care of the siblings when her mother is not a round.

Her mother wakes up early in the morning and goes to work. She normally comes back late in the evening at around 7:00pm.

Jackie’s grandmother rarely gives her a hand; she is too old to help her. Jackie’s grand mother is 100 years old. She also expects to get some services from Jackie.

Comment:

Dear Jackie now I understand the reason why you were not happy about the changes in starting school.

The work you are doing is too heavy for you at that age. You have a sounding reason to say that you wanted to start school as early as 21st of this month.

Dear Jackie’s mother don’t you think that you are over working Jackie? At least find a house help who will be helping Jackie with some work.

As Jackie grows up, she will need enough time to concentrate on her studies. According to her story, she does not even have time to play with friends.

Jackie is still young; she needs that time with her friends. She has to enjoy her right to play.

Ends