Teenager Gugulethu reviews Imbokodo: Women Who Shape Us

Read Gugulethu’s thoughts on Imbokodo: Women Who Shape Us and why these books are important to her –

Imbokodo: Women Who Shape Us, the series of books written by Athambile Masola and Xolisa Guzula, and translated into multiple South African languages

First surgeon to perform a human-to-human heart transplant surgery: Dr Chris Barnard. First man on the moon: Neil Armstrong. Ngingumfundi oqavile esikoleni futhi ngiyazihlupha ngokwazi umlando wezwe lase Ningizimu Afrika kanye nowomhlaba wonke jikelele. Umuntu angafunga ukuthi bebengekho abantu abamnyama mandulo, ngiyazibuza ukuthi, kanti luphi uhlu lwamagama abo? Baphi odokotela, osonolwazi, izishoshovu ezivela la eNingizumu Afrika? Awukho Umlando ocacile ngobuchwepheshe babantu bomdabu ezincwadini zami ezifundisa ngomlando. There’s no clear trace of black excellence in my history books!

Lezizincwadi, Imbokodo: Women Who Shape Us zisikhombisa ukuthi intombazane emnyama ingazenza izinto ezinkulu emhlabeni. Kwamele uzimisele, uzazi ukuthi umeleni ini,, ulwele iqiniso. Ugogo Winnie Mandela uyisibonelo esihle se “Black Girl Magic” eAfrica. Impilo yakhe wayisebenzisela ukulwa nemithetho ye ncindezelo e Ningizimu Africa, waba ngumhlahlandlela , wanikika abanye abantu ithemba lokuthi uma sibambene njengomphakathi kuyolunga konke. Wasikhombisa ukuthi ngempela “Wathinta umfazi wathinta imbokodo” ngenxa yesibindi nobuqhawe bakhe.

UMam’Brenda Fassie noDokotela Esther Mahlangu bangihlabe umxhwele ngoba basimele sonke singumzansi ngokulandela amakhono abo. UMam Brenda Fassie ngomculo wakhe owawushisa izikhotha ngo- 80’-90’ kanye noDokotela uEsther Mahlangu oyisibonelo esihle. Ubani owayengacabanga ukuthi ugogo wasemakhaya angasebenza nezinkampani ezinjenge ‘British Airways’, ‘Rolls Royce’ kanye ne ‘BMW ebonisa ikhono lakhe lobuciko (visual art)! Lesonzo esibonisa ubuqhawe bufundisa abasha ukuthi baziqhenye ngokuba amaAfrika, bangazami ukuba abanye abantu.

“The roots of education are bitter,but the fruits are sweeter.’’Lokhu kubalulekile ukuthi singabantu abasha sikwazi.Ngempela imfundo iyinto ongayisebenzisa ukushintsha umhlaba, singabona ngogogo Phumzile Ngcuka usebenzele uhulumeni wase South Africa kanye ne United Nations. Yena nogogo Cecilia Tshabalala basebenzisa izifundo zabo ukushintsha umhlaba .Abantu besifazane bayimbokodo, ikusasa lethu liqhakazile ngenxa yendima abayidlalayo ngokusikhulisa emakhaya kanye namakhono namathalente abanawo emisebenzini yabo.

These books are inspiring and I believe they will play an important role in opening young people’s eyes in realizing our heritage is “cool”, and something we should be proud of. The future is in our hands as the new generation so we should look to untying the ties of apartheid and colonization. Let us learn from history because history sometimes repeats itself if no one pays attention to its lessons. We can start with things such as encouraging woman empowerment. This is a great tool towards a brighter tomorrow. It’s now up to us to make a change and take up space as my role model Zozibini Tunzi advises us to do.

WATHINTA UMFAZI WATHINTA IMBOKODO, UZOKUFA! UBOBHASOBHA!

GUGULETHU NXUMALO (14 years old)

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