Page 82 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

Gender
FrOM HIGH SCHOOL drOPOuT
to AGent of ChAnGe
Masiphakameni Advice Office. Sindiswa Witbooi – Administrator/ Paralegal of Masiphakameni and Misanda Makisi - Volunteer.
PHUMEzA SIBENGILE HAS FACED WHAT WOULD SEEM LIKE INSURMOUNTABLE CHALLENGES IN HER PERSONAL LIFE AFTER SHE DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL WHEN SHE FELL PREGNANT AT 15. SHE WRITES HOW SHE TURNED HER LIFE AROUND AND USED HER ExPERIENCE AS A YOUNG MOTHER TO EMPOWER OTHERS.
My name is Phumeza Sibengile. I am a mother of two beautiful children, a boy and a girl. I am also one of nine children. I was born in the Gamtoos Valley in the Sarah Baartman district on a small farm called rooifontein. The farm is situated between valleys, natural forests and the Gamtoos river, the biggest river, in the western part of the eastern Cape.
The Gamtoos river is very important to the residents, as the irrigation system, commercial farmers and the community at large depend on it for water. It is truly a harmonious place to live, with fertile land for agriculture scattered with mud houses.
At age 15 I fell pregnant and dropped out of school. Seven years later with a determined spirit I returned to school and completed my matric. Financial constraints, however, meant I could not pursue further studies. These early life experiences shaped my passion for working with teenage mothers, through the Teenage Pregnancy Programme. My involvement with the programme came about while I was working as a waitress at the Forest Inn Hotel and as a community-based health and reproductive agent at the Planned Parenthood Association of South Africa. These experiences intensified the love I had for the work I do and through them I gained valuable skills.
In the year 2000, I joined Masiphakameni Local development Agency as the HIV/AIdS activator. during this period, funding received through SCAT, helped to facilitate capacity building and mentoring. With my current role as Project Coordinator, our community faces new additional challenges, such as the increase in HIV infections; alcohol and drug abuse; unfair and discriminatory labour practices; and, farm evictions. These challenges are tough. Fortunately, I have grown stronger and stronger from all the challenges I had to overcome since that day I had to drop out of school because I was pregnant.
Mr Thanduxolo Buya from Sakhe Singamadoda working as partner of Masipakameni.
phuMezA sibenGile
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RuRal Voice ii: 35 stories for 35 years