When a young girl from Noordwyk experienced her bullying ordeal, she took it upon herself to start an anti-bullying initiative to combat it.
Lilita Nkomo (11) described the experience at her new school a week after the schools had opened as emotionally draining for her and three of her peers.
The Grade 5 learner said this occurred in the first week of school and it kept on happening until she reported it to her teacher and parents a month later to intervene.
“I was new at the school. There was this girl in my class I wanted to be friends with but I guess she didn’t like me. She then started making remarks about my skin colour and hair,” she explained.
Lilita’s advice to other learners, who are experiencing victimisation at school, was that they should not fight their bullies but instead, report it to their teachers and parents.
She goes around various primary schools in the area to talk about her Kids’ Sparkle anti-bullying campaign with the hope that it will yield desired results in curbing bullying.
“The campaign slogan is #Sfun’ubaHappy [we want to be happy] because we go to school to learn and be happy. No child goes to school to return home sad because other learners are bullying them.”
Gcobisa Nkomo, Lilita’s mother, said she wants her child to focus on her academic work.
When asked if the incident might have affected her daughter’s schoolwork, she said, “No, when I check her books, she is still performing well so far. I will continue to monitor them.”
Lilita has since visited Noordwyk Primary School to talk about bullying in schools.
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