A day in the life and home of a child in an informal settlement.

My name is Donna and yesterday I woke up and was starving to go eat, I but didn’t find anything inside the fridge. I didn’t have anything to eat!

I had to walk to school and it wasn’t that pleasing. There was a lot of trash and mud on the roads and a lot of bothersome flies and mosquitoes buzzing around me.

On my way to school I saw that environment was pretty bad I saw children playing with trash. Poor kids they’ll get sick!

In my class there’s 60 children and 1 notebook that we have to share. It’s really hard for me to write in 1 notebook while there are kids pummelling me. I saw our teacher, Miss McGordon, was really tired from telling the kids to be quiet.

I couldn’t really concentrate properly, because I didn’t eat at all.

I heard someone coughing really bad and dark red liquid coming out this boy’s mouth, named Jamie, I was terrified, my mom said it’s called blood, a type of liquid that’s inside your body.

Then I went home feeling miserable and cold. My clothes were all dirty from all that walking. On my way I went to visit Auntie Jolly. She wasn’t home her daughter said that she was terribly sick in hospital. I hope she gets better, well nobody gets well anyways. It’s too dirty here, and smelly.

Now I’m lying in bed and I’m really sick I can’t go to school today and I’m having the worst day in my life, at least I got to eat something today.

I hope they are going to improve on the cleaninng around here.

I hope one day will be able to have a normal home just like the other people.

The Bull Of Bashan

The Bull Of Bashan

I’m Jesse and I had the worst experience at school today..!
It was Singing Class and the singing inspector was coming.The singing inspector, which was Mr Raymond ,had this knickerbockers and thick stockings looking like a huntsman.He had icy, cold and evil eyes.He had long, golden, kind of looking macaroni and cheese looking hair...He’s the meanest, insolent, brusque man, I’ve ever known!

The big boys and little kids don’t even do singing class!I wish I was a kid again, so I wouldn’t need to see him....It all started really well, we just had to do the practice things.The dó ray mi fá so la ti dó and the tatá and tetes .Then it was Charles and Benny’s turn to sing. They looked really scared...I feel really sorry for them.Out of nowhere Mr R or Mr Raymond in a vexed voice shouted at them”What can you sing?! ,Sing anything!”In a feeble voice Charles said”W-We can sing Pretty Polly...”.”The sing it!”Mr R roared. He looked just like the bull of bashan. Not being offensive but it sounded abhorrent and dire.Charles began to sing Pretty Polly in a kind of sonorous voice and Benny ,the Long one, sang in a piping voice.They were really frantic! We all tried not to laugh so hard because we were afraid of Mr R .In the middle of the verse they stopped because they were already out of breath.Then Mr Raymond clamoured”Waste of time! Waste of time! Two voiceless idiots! In a singing class!,Send them out!”

Then It was my turn to sing.I think I did well, he didn't squall at me or anything.Then it Gladys Armstrong and Iris's turn,They looked petrified that not even a sound came out of there mouth.
Then Mr R said"What do we have here the deaf and the dumb wheres your voices girls?!"
I felt so sorry for them,all I wanted to do is tell that man he's a disrespectful and churlish man! I wish I could go do exams and learn math with the big boys.