This is the sad and humble begining of a now strong woman, called Dorothea. What made her who she is today?
“Thief, it’s a thief” Dorothea is awakened by a loud group of people shouting and chasing a thief outside her house. “Catch him, beat him up, catch him”, screaming men and youths are heard as they pass through Doro’s house. Doro steps out of bed and yawns as she holds her Nokia Torch phone to check the time. “Eh (sigh), I have not slept at all tonight, and now it’s already morning!!” she complains while standing up and stretching herself.
“Eeeh (sigh), mama yangu weeeeh (a call upon her mother to express pain), this bed will kill me wallahi!”, “koko krokooo, ko” (her back cracks as she stretches it. After some gentle stretches, she turns back to the bed to observe her son who was lying right beside her. Doro smiles and sits on the bed, gently rubbing her son’s head and face as she watches him with pride. “I love you so much son”, she says in a low voice before she bends over and gives him a kiss on his forehead. “I will fight for you until the end, you are my heart’s treasure and without you, I doubt that my life would have any meaning.
All the commotion outside does not deter Doro or threaten her. Bugaza, the place where Doro lives, is full of thieves, rapists and murderers. It is a place that houses most people of low income in the city. It is considered the poorest neighbourhood in the city. The living cost is below average and groceries are more affordable here than most places. This has caused a herd of small local businessmen and women to rush into and continue to fill the streets.
It has been ten years since Dorothea moved to Bugaza Street. She moved to Bugaza when she was a young girl of only thirteen years. Although Doro is a loving mother to her son, her life was a difficult one without an ounce of love since birth. When she was only about 2 days old, she was mercilessly thrown in a dump, wrapped in a tight plastic bag to die. Unable to breathe, uncomfortable with the rough and tight space she was in, it was only her innocent cries that saved her. Luckily a good samaritan passed by, and after noticing her, took her to a government agency. This is the only person in the whole world that Doro liked apart from her son. Although she never met that woman, she always said to herself, “I will be like that woman and be kind to people always, and have a good heart.” Little did she know about the dark path that awaited her.
After a few years went by, and Doro was big enough to be aware of her misery, that is when true suffering began. “Dorothea! Dorothea! Come here my daughter, let us have a little talk”, it’s Mama Mlezi’s (guardian mother) voice. None of the girls raised together with Doro in the orphanage they found themselves in knew Mama Mlezi’s real name. Nevertheless, it did not bother them. Every one of the children completely loved her. She took care of them since they were brought in as little kids or infants; buying them gifts, feeding them and clothing them. To them Mama Mlezi was not only a guardian, but a guardian angel. She was a mother to them more than any of their mothers were.
It was customary at their girl’s orphanage that whenever a girl reached ten years of age, she would be called by Mama Mlezi to have a serious talk and advice before she is given away to her permanent family. This is a walk that every girl had to walk alone. No friends were ever there to say goodbye after a talk with Mama Mlezi or to see the new parents of the girl given away. This was the happiest day for any girl who has reached ten years of age. It was the day that she was going to a new family, where she would be special, chosen, treasured and loved. Yes, Mama Mlezi loved each of them, but this was going to be different.
This is a day that Doro had dreamt about for years. She frequently practised how she would be a good child, and how she would make her new parents proud. She would learn how to eat well, sit well, walk well and take good care of herself. No one that had gotten new parents was ever returned for bad behaviour, and she was not going to be the first. “Soon you will not be with me anymore, I am going to a new family. I will be the best child ever, they will never regret having me as their daughter.” Doro said to her friends a few days before her tenth birthday.
Sadly, none of the kids knew the agonizing pain from the betrayal that awaits. That Mama Mlezi was not their hero or protector, but the very own devil herself bringing darkness and emptiness to all the children she rears.
“Yes Mom,” Doro replied with a smile on her face, carrying her bags and heading to Mama Mlezi’s room. “Close the door,” “Yes Mom” Dorothea replied as she closed the door and sat on the bed beside Mama Mlezi.
“Alright, listen to me my dearest daughter Doro”, Mama Mlezi said in a low voice “You are now a grown woman, you know this right?” “Yes Mom”, Doro replied politely while fiddling with her fingers with her eyes facing downwards. “I have taught you better than this Doro, I always tell you not to fiddle your fingers, and to always look at an elder straight in the eyes when they speak to you!” Doro, quickly did as she was told. This was not the day to get cross with her Mama.
“As I was saying my lovely daughter, you are now a grown-up lady, of ten years. It is time for you to go to a new family. You will stay there peacefully and respectfully. I don’t wish to ever get any complaints from your new parents about any disrespectful behaviours. Am I clear?”, Mama Mlezi asked as she smiled and held Dorothea’s hands whose eyes were watery from that short pep talk. “Yes Mom”, Dorothea replied in a low voice as she received a gentle hug.
After a short while, they heard a horn from the outside. “They have arrived”, Mama Mlezi said, as she helped Doro to carry her bags, held her hand, and led her out. A Toyota Noah, with tinted windows, was waiting for them. Two people, a woman standing outside and a man in the driver’s seat playing with his phone were waiting for Doro.
Upon seeing her new parents, Doro’s heart felt sick and restless straight away. Her legs suddenly became heavy and her spirit hesitant. She sadly turned to her guardian mother as if to say “Are these really my new parents?” “Go My Daughter”, Mama Mlezi told to her as she gently pushed her forward towards the car.
“Is she still a virgin?” The man in the car asked sarcastically while looking out the window towards Mama Mlezi as he smiled and popped the gum in his mouth. Pah! Doro’s heart fell to the floor as she was helped into the car with the woman she had never met. The man’s question left Doro with so many questions of her own. Her eyes kept a lock on Mama Mlezi with a sad face filled with worry. “Where am I been taken to?” she asked herself. “Kdoku!” the car was locked and Doro had no way out. This was the first time she had been in such a car, she had seen cars before, but none like this.
No one was with her at the back of the car where she was sitting. The reeked of bad smells and was filled with papers, plastic materials, and needles of different sizes. The seat she was seating on felt moist and disgusting.
Dorothea held herself tightly on the seats adjacent to her so she didn’t fall, as the car was being driven carelessly to their destination. Her new parents were seated all the way at the front. She could not see or speak to them as the back was completely separated from the front with a board and wire mesh. The more she was thrown up and down by the bumps the more she realized that she was in a walking egg. She was completely cut out from the outside. The car was completely sealed from all angles, no one could see in, or out of it.
The only thing holding her back from screaming was the flashback of what Mama Mlezi said about making sure she didn’t disappoint her. Despite her solid efforts to remain strong, slowly tears crawled out of her eyes. “ffu ffu”, she sniffed in silence.
Suddenly the car stopped. They had arrived at their destination. Just like that, her life was about to change. She clenched her knees together and held on tight to her bags. It was evident that the two strangers were both out of the car and heading to where she was. She could hear the footsteps and distant murmuring. Unfortunately, this was not the only sound she could hear. Distant voices of women were heard shouting in happiness as if welcoming her to the pack. “God please help me, please don’t let me be in any trouble, I TRUST YOU”, Doro prayed as she waited in fear.
Koroooooooo kguu”, the door was opened and a bright light filled Doro’s eyes rendering her blind for a few seconds. “Be quick, get off so I can go make other deliveries, you are wasting my time”, the male stranger said to her coldly.
Doro politely made her way off the car, as her eyes slowly tamed the light and began to see her surrounding. “Did God not hear my prayers all these years?” she asked herself “Did Mama Mlezi lie to me about my new home and parents? If I refuse to remain here and get back in the car, will I be safe from these people? Would Mama Mlezi allow me to go back?”. All these questions rushed into her brain in just two seconds as she witnessed the unthinkable in front of her. A land worse than hell and a smell thicker than rotten rats or tomatoes.
This is when the truth hit her, the saying in her country said “Only a parent knows the pain of a child” but sadly for her, SHE HAD NO PARENT!!
