IT was a bittersweet moment for seven-year-old Bonisela ‘Bonnie’ Mnyandi, who had to say goodbye to her teacher and friends at Udobo who, for the past two years shown her compassion and love despite her disabilities.
Overcoming her challenges, she shocked both her parents and teachers with the progress she made over the years while being at the school. During the school’s graduation on Friday, 2 December she was cited as a prime example of what can be achieved even when one is faced with obstacles. A proud Jillian Nel said being her teacher was a life-changing experience.
“Bonnie suffers with cerebral palsy and epilepsy and she came to the school with little to no skills. I was asked if I was prepared to take her into my class which I was happy to do,” said Nel.
With the help of her teaching aid experience, accommodating Bonnie was easy for the teacher. “I kept her in the junior group so I could give her more of my attention. I had to teach her basic skills like feeding herself. When she came in she could hardly talk now Bonnie can speak three languages,” said Nel.
The children in her class adapted to Bonnie well and treated her like one of their own, “It was an amazing interaction to see, they always want to be around her. They are very protective over her. It just goes to show how children can see past her disabilities and treat her like a normal human being. It’s been a learning experience for them too as they were taught compassion, that it’s okay to be different as well as tolerance,” added Nel.
Parents, David McCarthy and Sihle Mnyandi couldn’t be any more proud of their only daughter and knew they made the right move by putting her in the school. “We always had big dreams for Bonnie. Straight after being born, she contracted meningitis on top of having cerebral palsy but she survived. She is our living miracle and we thank God every day for this blessing – she is our gift. We are so thankful to Jillian for playing such a integral role in our daughter’s life. We honestly did not expect her to grow so much, she is so alert and so aware now. Our dream of her leading a normal life can come true. One day people will treat her with the respect and love she deserves,” said McCarthy.
Udobo principal, Anne Sanders praised Nel for her patience and caring nature. “Without her, Bonnie would not be where she is today. I’m grateful to have such an inspiring teacher in our school and because of her, there is a place in this school for children like Bonnie who can benefit. I’m impressed by how she handled everything and she is brave for taking this challenge head on. She is a gem to this school and to those whose lives she will continue to bless. We will miss Bonnie and we love her to bits. It’s so sad to see her go but I’m happy she graduated and now will continue growing in her new school,” she said.
