Chisomo, a third year university student, writes about his life
My story starts in two small Malawi villages – Nsulupe, where my father lived, and Namagonya, where my mother came from. We were eight children sharing a little house, full of love even when life got tough. The first five had the same dad, but the last three, including me, had a different dad. Mom loved us all the same, but sometimes things were harder than they should be. Sadly, we lost both Mom and Dad years apart. Three of my brothers and sisters left us too, leaving empty chairs and heavy hearts. But we still had each other, a small family holding strong in our big house.
Life wasn’t always easy. Sometimes food and clothes were scarce, especially on holidays. But we stuck together, like little flames keeping each other warm. My younger sister didn’t finish school, but she started her own journey. As for me, I found a light of hope – Blantyre Secondary School. From 2015 to 2019, it was my bridge to a brighter future, a place where learning bloomed like flowers. Life threw punches, but we learned to dodge them.
It wasn’t all tears, though. Our story is about hope that grows even when things are hard. We dream of better days, hold hands like tiny bridges, and keep moving forward. The road ahead might be dusty, but we face it with smiles and open hearts. The future is unknown, but one thing’s for sure – we’ll keep walking, keep hoping, and keep writing our own amazing story, a story that began in Nsulupe and Namagonya, and continues to bloom every day.
The bigger kids didn’t always see us as fully part of the family, it felt like they were playing on a team we weren’t allowed on. Even on holidays, sometimes the fun didn’t reach us quite as much. It wasn’t always like that, of course, there were good times too, but it was never quite easy.
Thank you FOCHTA, for giving me the opportunity to share this piece of my heart. It is an honor to connect with you all through this narrative, and I hope it leaves a lasting impression on your mind and spirit.
Sincerely, Chisomo.