“Well done Nomhla,” Mr.Ngwenya said as he handed out the test results to his brightest student. “Thank you sir, Nomhla said with a wide smile on her face showing off all her white teeth as she looked at her great pass that almost bought tears to her eyes cause nobody else at home would understand her victory. Nomhla’s parents had passed away from HIV&AIDS;. All the kids at school used to tease Nomhla and said her parents had died from a common flu because they did not understand HIV&AIDS;. “Nomhla” Thembeka, Nomhla’s best friend called out from a distance afterschool dragging her baby stomach finely tailored by school uniform covering her shame and making her fit in. “How was your day?” Thembeka went on rubbing her stomach to show the effort she went through to carry it. “Not bad you know” Nomhla said dreading the walk home barefooted in the heat. “Have you heard?” Thembeka went on “ This year a rich man from America is going to sponsor the student with the highest marks in form 5 to help them get them into university and pay for everything” Thembeka said anticipated on Nomhla’s reaction. “Wow!” Nomhla managed to say excited with her hands folded together against her chest thanking God and imagining that this could be her opportunity to a greater future. So many thoughts played through Nomhla’s mind and in that moment she had her eyes set on the prize. “Gogo”, I’m home Nomhla called as she opened the door to find her Malume Bongani soberly seated on the coach. “Do I look like your Gogo”, Malume Bongani answered as he stood up in rage forcefully walking towards Nomhla and pushing her against the wall. “No Malume, please” Nomhla screamed with tears falling from her face as her Malume pulled down her skirt. What felt like almost every day for the past 6 months since Malume Bongani lost his job in the city, Nomhla would pull up her skirt and walk in pain to fulfill her chores before her Gogo came home. Nomhla would often tell Gogo about Malume Bongani’s treachery but Gogo feared Malume Bongani so much because Malume Bongani was buying the food in the house and Gogo needed the extra money for the children in the house because her wrinkled old hands could but only count money let alone keep a job. So Gogo would just tell Nomhla to forget about it and be strong. Nomhla would often wipe away her tears as she watched them fall on her textbooks when she tried to study in the late evenings with a candle lit up in her room. Nomhla was determined to study hard and accomplish her dreams of being a humanitarian and doctor as she dreamed of a better South Africa. “Good morning Gogo”, Nomhla called out to wake Gogo as she opened the door to make her way to school. ‘Nomhla” Thembeka called out waving from a distance with one of her friends Khulisani. “Hello guys”, Nomhla sa