Welcome home, gogo

Bongi Zulu is just 17 and still a student but remarkably sensitive to the plight of the suffering.

A history enthusiast and granddaughter of Busisiwe Zulu, she was excited when talking about the return of her granny from treatment. She said the family was happy to have her back in better condition, especially since she was now able to walk on her own and welcome visitors from the living room, rather than her bedroom where she was confined to for years – until help arrived from Christo Strydom Nutrition Clinic. Neighbours also welcomed her back, stressing that more is required from society to help someone like her. Bongi’s grandmother had a rare disease which led to the swelling of her legs until she could not walk anymore and was bedridden for many years. She was treated for lymphoedema – contrary to an initial medical diagnosis that said she was suffering from elephantiasis.

Meanwhile, Bongi’s experience of her grandmother’s suffering has helped her in selecting her future career. “Seeing my grandmother struggle to lead a normal life has raised my conscience on the suffering of many people worldwide, especially in Africa.

“I want to be a journalist so that I can make the international community aware of the suffering of many communities from natural disasters like floods in India, abduction of girls in Nigeria, and the abuse of human rights – as has happened here in the past,” she said.