Magozwe
Lesley Koyi
Wiehan de Jager
English
In the busy city, far away from a caring life at home, lived a group of homeless boys. They welcomed each day just as it came.
On one morning, the boys were packing their mats after sleeping on cold pavements. To chase away the cold they lit a fire. Among the group of boys was Magozwe. He was the youngest.
On one morning, the boys were packing their mats after sleeping on cold pavements. To chase away the cold they lit a fire. Among the group of boys was Magozwe. He was the youngest.
When Magozwe's parents died, he was only five years old. He went to live with his uncle. This man did not care about the child.
He did not give Magozwe enough food. He made the boy do a lot of hard work.
He did not give Magozwe enough food. He made the boy do a lot of hard work.
If Magozwe complained or questioned, his uncle beat him.
When Magozwe asked if he could go to school, his uncle beat him and said, "You're too stupid to learn anything."
After three years of this treatment Magozwe ran away from his uncle. He started living on the street.
When Magozwe asked if he could go to school, his uncle beat him and said, "You're too stupid to learn anything."
After three years of this treatment Magozwe ran away from his uncle. He started living on the street.
Street life was difficult and most of the boys struggled daily just to get food. Sometimes they were arrested, sometimes they were beaten.
When they were sick, there was no one to help. The boys survived from begging, and selling plastics and other recycling.
When they were sick, there was no one to help. The boys survived from begging, and selling plastics and other recycling.
One day while Magozwe was looking through the dustbins, he found an old tattered storybook. He cleaned the dirt from it and put it in his sack.
Every day after that he would take out the book and look at the pictures. He did not know how to read the words.
Every day after that he would take out the book and look at the pictures. He did not know how to read the words.
The pictures told the story of a boy who grew up to be a pilot. Magozwe would daydream of being a pilot.
Sometimes, he imagined that he was the boy in the story.
Sometimes, he imagined that he was the boy in the story.
It was cold and Magozwe was standing on the road begging. A man walked up to him. "Hello, I'm Thomas. I work at a place where you can get something to eat," he said.
Thomas pointed to a house nearby. "I hope you will go there to get some food?" he asked.
Magozwe looked at the man, and then at the house. "Maybe," he said, and walked away.
Thomas pointed to a house nearby. "I hope you will go there to get some food?" he asked.
Magozwe looked at the man, and then at the house. "Maybe," he said, and walked away.
Over the months that followed, the homeless boys got used to seeing Thomas around. He liked to talk to people, especially people living on the streets.
Thomas listened to the stories of people's lives. He was patient and respectful. Some of the boys started going to the yellow house to get food.
Thomas listened to the stories of people's lives. He was patient and respectful. Some of the boys started going to the yellow house to get food.
Magozwe was sitting on the pavement looking at his picture book when Thomas sat down next to him.
"What is the story about?" asked Thomas. "It's about a boy who becomes a pilot," replied Magozwe.
"What's the boy's name?" asked Thomas. "I don't know, I can't read," said Magozwe.
"What is the story about?" asked Thomas. "It's about a boy who becomes a pilot," replied Magozwe.
"What's the boy's name?" asked Thomas. "I don't know, I can't read," said Magozwe.
When they met, Magozwe began to tell his own story to Thomas. It was the story of his uncle and why he ran away.
Thomas didn't talk a lot, and he didn't tell Magozwe what to do, but he always listened carefully.
Thomas didn't talk a lot, and he didn't tell Magozwe what to do, but he always listened carefully.
Around Magozwe's tenth birthday, Thomas gave him a new storybook. It was a story about a village boy who grew up to be a famous soccer player.
Thomas read that story to Magozwe many times, until one day he said, "I think it's time you went to school and learned to read. What do you think?"
Thomas explained that he knew of a place where children could stay, and go to school.
Thomas read that story to Magozwe many times, until one day he said, "I think it's time you went to school and learned to read. What do you think?"
Thomas explained that he knew of a place where children could stay, and go to school.
Magozwe thought about this new place, and about going to school.
What if his uncle was right and he was too stupid to learn anything? What if they beat him at this new place?
He was afraid. "Maybe it is better to stay living on the street," he thought.
What if his uncle was right and he was too stupid to learn anything? What if they beat him at this new place?
He was afraid. "Maybe it is better to stay living on the street," he thought.
He shared his fears with Thomas. Over time the man reassured the boy that life could be better at the new place.
And so Magozwe moved into a house and shared the room with two other boys. There were ten children living at that house.
Along with Auntie Cissy and her husband, three dogs, a cat, and an old goat.
Along with Auntie Cissy and her husband, three dogs, a cat, and an old goat.
Magozwe started school and it was difficult. He had a lot to catch up. Sometimes he wanted to give up.
But he thought about the pilot and the soccer player in the storybooks. Like them, he did not give up.
But he thought about the pilot and the soccer player in the storybooks. Like them, he did not give up.
Magozwe was sitting in the yard at the house where he stayed, reading a storybook from school.
Thomas came up and sat next to him. "What is the story about?" asked Thomas. "It's about a boy who becomes a teacher," replied Magozwe.
"What's the boy's name?" asked Thomas. "His name is Magozwe," said Magozwe with a smile.
Thomas came up and sat next to him. "What is the story about?" asked Thomas. "It's about a boy who becomes a teacher," replied Magozwe.
"What's the boy's name?" asked Thomas. "His name is Magozwe," said Magozwe with a smile.
You are free to download, copy, translate or adapt this story and use the illustrations as long as you attribute in the following way:
Magozwe
Author - Lesley Koyi
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
Language - English
Level - Read aloud
Illustration - Wiehan de Jager
Language - English
Level - Read aloud
© African Storybook Initiative 2015
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Source www.africanstorybook.org
