A day in the life of a child in an informal settlement

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

My name is Isabella Andies,but everyone just calls me Bellzy.I live in ……...an informal settlement!Today started out with me waking up from a big drop of water dropping on my head,then I soon figured out that it was raining.Since I don’t live in a proper house,I live in a shack, it always leaks from all directions,and I mean ALL directions.I walked to my mom and she told me that I was going to have to go to school without breakfast today.All I want is more food in my house, I don’t even care WHAT food I eat as long as it is food,My mom must understand that I simply can’t focus at school on a empty stomach.

On my way to school,I had to walk through a swamp and then I had to walk over hard,sharp rocks.By the time I got to school I was a dirty,wet bleeding MESS!But my parents can’t buy me some shoes but the idiot who sells decided the one pair of shoe just has to cost nine hundred rand!I had a lot on my plate and now I was wet and cold and my feet had horrible cuts on them.”Bellzy,what happened!”shout my friend Toby”I got a little hurt and a little wet on my way to school today,that’s all.”I answered.

It was almost the end of school and I was so hungry I couldn’t even see straight,all I wanted was food.My parents don’t usually pack me food because they are too poor but I wish they did because this happens EVERY DAY.I hope that one day mom will pack me some food for school so I can concentrate. I wish I didn’t have to go to school.

Toby said that he knew a way to get back home in one peace ,this I just HAD to see.Toby run into the ran into the middle of the road,”Tubbs are you mad!”I yelled.Toby’s nickname is Tubbs.”Maybe……….”He said back to me, soon a pink truck came and stopped right in front of  Toby and he jumped into it”Come on,he will take us home”.So the pink truck drove us home that day,when I got home my mother announced that she was busy cooking the dinner over the fire and that I had to go and fetch the water for the bath.While I was standing a this long que “ I wish I had a bath at home with warm running water it would really help and I would have more time to do my homework”I muttered to myself.When I got back my mom had burnt down our house,if we had an oven or stove we wouldn’t have to cook using a fire and risk burning something and it would be much easier because we wouldn’t burn down our houses,but I think my mom was just being weird or something to burn down a house.

It was 9:30pm and I was pour the water that I fetched from the tap over me because I was washing myself, I could feel the cold water running down my body.Before I went to sleep I sat under a street light and finished my homework.If we had electricity in our house I wouldn’t have to sit on the cold ground at night doing my homework.

The next day

Today my parents got a lot of money from their boss so we are going to have a big house built on where our shack used to be.It will have a bath,electricity and a stove and an oven and my parents bought me a lovely new pair of shoes.There is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

The Singing Inspector

My name is Jesse and I am going to tell you about my singing inspector.

A few days ago my singing inspector, Mr.Raymond,came. Mr.Raymond was tall and wore brown and frumpy knickerbockers and he had curly golden hair. I THOUGHT he was a kind person but boy was I wrong!I will never make that mistake again! Anyway Mr.Raymond came barging into class and made us sing that do-ray-me nonsense.Then right away he started to test how good we are at singing,which is stupid because one day I might be the PRESIDENT and it won’t even matter how well I sing.First up was poor Charles and Benny,then Mr.Raymond shouted like a maniac “The long and the short will now sing for us!”. I could not believe he was being so...RUDE!

Charles and Benny looked very nervous,and the only song they could sing was Pretty Poly,I absolutely hate that song!They sang it very nervously and the words came out funny.They where very off key,Charles sang in a low stuttery voice and Benny in a high squeaky voice, Mr.Raymond shouted “Waste of time Waste of time!What awful singing.”

Next I sang and I think I sounded pretty good because he didn’t say anything at all.But I was still very nervous because he has a way of making you wish you were never born,When I finished singing I felt a way of relief rushing over me.

Next was my best friend’s turn,Iris and Gladys,I could see them shaking with fear,I noticed that Iris was trying to sing but no words came out,Then that mean dragon Mr.Raymond snapped “ What have we here the deaf and the dum, where is your voice girl!”.I felt so bad for them and I could see everybody wanting to laugh but luckily Mr.Raymond’s harsh look on his face stopped them.I loved singing……...up until now!The children did nothing wrong to him and he STILL disses them.

That night I couldn’t sleep because his sharp eyes were still haunting me.The next time Iris wasn’t at singing because she gets to learn and write exams while I have to sing with everyone else.I asked my dad to join her and he said yes.Now I am glad I never have to see him again!