My

sel
f

Everyoneoughtt
obeproudofhimselforher
sel
f.Peopl
ehavetolov
ethei
rphysical
buil
tupforiti
sreal
l
yunchangeabl
e.Theyshoul
dwor kf
orthei
rchar
act
ers'bui
l
ding.

DavysSibandai
smyname.Iam aboywhoi snineyear
sold.Iam onehundr
edand
fi
ft
eencentimetr
estall
.Iam br
ownincomplexi
on.Ihaveabigandroundheadli
kea
bal
l.Becauseofthebigear
sIhavepeoplecal
lme"Magen'a.
"Alt
houghIam the
short
estinmyclass,Iam t
heclev
erest
.

Ili
veinVukuzenzel
evi
l
lage.Thechiefofmyv i
l
lagei
sMrMaduna.Il
i
vei
nInsi
za
dist
ri
ct.I
nsi
zaisinMatabel
elandSouthprov
ince.Zi
mbabwei
smycount
ryof
resi
dence.

IgotoJendapr imaryschool .Iam i

nGradeThr ee.Thisbi
gandniceschool i
sin
Vukuzenz el
ev il
lage.Singi
ngi sanexer
ciseIenjoyatschool.Atbreakf
astloft
enly
playf
oot ballwit
hmyf r
iends.Ipref
erweari
ngcl eanblackshort
sandwhi teshi
rt
s.
Riceandchi ckenisfooddel i
cioustome.Idisl
ikefighti
ngandtell
i
ngl i
es.Whenat
homepl ayingwithmypuppypetmakesmehappy .

Iam gl
adwi
thal
lwhatIam.

MyFr
iend

Fri
endsareimport
anti
nevery
one'
sli
fe.Wi
tht
hem weshar
eideasandj
okes.They
comfortdur
inghardt
imes.

LovemoreMuzendai
smyf r
iend.Ot
herpeopl
ecal
lthi
sboyBino.I
tisbecausehehas
alongandpoi
ntednose.Myfri
enddi
sl
ikesbei
ngcall
edbyt
hatnickname.

Myf r
iendli
vesinImbay
agovil
l
age.Hisv i
l
lageisnexttoours.I
tisi
ntheMaranda
areainMwenez i
.Mwenezii
sadi st
ri
ctinMasv i
ngoprovi
nce.Theboycomesfrom a
homebel ongi
ngtoafamil
yofeightpeople.Ther
earesixchil
dreni
nmyfri
end's
famil
y.

Myfr
iendisni
ney ear
sold.Hei
sbrownincomplex
ion.Thatboyi
saboutonecomma
twometr
estal
l.Loveisaboywit
haroundface.Hi
sey esar
easredaspepper.The
boyi
shandsome.

Myf ri
endprefersweari
ngbl uet
rouser
sandwhi
tet-
shir
ts.Thatboyli
kespl
ayi
ng
footbal
l.Heoftenl
yeatsriceandbeefatl
uncht
ime.Theboydisli
keschi
ldr
enwho
disobeyteachersandelders.

Il
i
kemyf
ri
endbecausehecar
esf
orme.
MySchool

School
stakeagr
eat
erparti
ndevel
opi
ngpeopl
e.Thr
oughski
ll
s,knowledgeand
habi
tsschool
sgi
vepeopl
ecanli
veonthei
rown.Sot
heschooli
smor ev al
uabl
eto
ever
yone.

Jendapri
mar yi
smyschool.I
twasbui
lti
nthey ear1953.Thi
sschooli
sinthe
communityofJendai
nVukuzenzel
evi
l
lage.Thatschoolisamongthebestschool
s
i
nI nsi
zadist
ri
ct.

Therearenicebuil
dingsatmyschool.Jendaschool hassev encl
assroom bl
ocks.
Eachblockhast woclassr
ooms.Thesecl assroom bl
ocksarepaintedblueand
meroon.Besidesthat,i
thastwotoil
etblocks.Eachblockisforonesexwi t
heleven
squatholes.Ei
ghtofthebuil
dingsarehousesf ort
eachers.Thehousesarepaintedin
l
ight-
blueandblack.

Jendai
sahugeschool
.Ithasf
ivehundredchil
dren.Ther
ear
ethi
rt
eent
eacher
sat
myschool
.MrMushongaismyschool head.Hisdeputyi
sMrsMoyo.

Myschool i
sneart
heSanal
i-Mazey
aroad.I
tisal
socl
osert
oGumbal
osecondar
y
school
,shopsandMakuhwadam.

Boyswearkhaki unifor
mswhilegi
rl
sweargr eenuni
for
m wit
hy el
l
owcol l
ars.
Chil
drenarenotallowedtofi
ghtatourschool
.Gamessuchassoccer,vol
leybal
land
tenni
sareplayedbybot hboysandgir
ls.Onl
ynetbal
li
sforgi
rl
s.Athl
eti
csisanother
sportact
ivi
tyf
orall chi
ldr
en.

Ndebel
e,Engl
i
sh,Mathemat
ics,
Gener
alPaper
,Agri
cul
ture,
ICT,PE,Ar
tandMusi
car
e
t
hemajorsubject
sdoneatmyschool
.Amongall
,Iam bestatMathemati
cs.

Iam pr
oudofmyschool
fori
thast
eacher
swhoar
efr
iendl
y,har
dwor
king,
disci
pli
ned
andco-per
ati
ve.

MyPet

Pet
sar
ejustl
i
kef
ri
endsi
npeopl
e'
sli
ves.Theyi
nter
tai
n.

Mypeti
sadog.I
tisapuppy
.Ical
li
tBl
ackbecauseofi
tsbl
ackf
urs.

Bl
acki
sadogwhi chiseightmonthsol
d.I
tisasbl
ackaschar
coal
.Thatdog'
sey
es
ar
easredaspepper.Thatsmallani
malhasahugest
omach.

Mypuppypetst aysinakennel
atnight.Itsl
eepsinatreeshedinmostti
mesoft he
day.Thedogalway sst
aysatouryard.I
tenjoysaccompanyingmewhenmaki ng
vi
sitstothebush.Hunt
ingsmallani
mal sli
kegrasshopper
sisit
shobby.I
tisaplayf
ul
creatur
e.

Mil
kandsadz aisf
avourabl
eanddel
i
ciousf
oodt
omypet
.Myy
oungdoghat
es
eat
ingpepperandfaeces.
Il
i
kemypetbecausei
tisf
ri
endl
ytome.

Mybi
rt
hdaypar
ty

Par
ti
escongr
egat
e,uni
te,
educat
eandi
nter
tai
npeopl
e.Theyencour
agegoodl
i
ving.

Mybi
rt
hdaypart
ywashel datourhome.Ourhomeisi
nTar
ir
evi
l
lagei
nMar
andaar
ea
i
nMwenezidi
str
ict
.Itoccur
redon20April
lasty
ear
.

Onmybi
rt
hday
,Iwast
urni
ngni
ney
ear
sol
d.Ni
necandl
eswer
eli
ttoshowmyage.

Ournei
ghbour
s,chur
chmat
esandf
ri
endswer
einv
ited.MrChumawast
hemast
erof
cer
emony.

Del
i
ciousfoodli
kechi
cken,eggsandr
icewereeat
en.Allt
hepeoplefeasted.Peopl
e
whocameof f
eredmegoats,moneyandclot
hesaspresents.Al
lofmyf i
vefri
ends
wer
egivencakes.

Musi
cbyt
her
adi
oandourchur
chchoi
rent
ert
ainedt
heaudi
ence.

Ienj
oyedt
hepartybecauseIsawpeopl
edanci
ng.Il
ear
ntt
hatpar
ti
esmakef
ami
l
y
membersandfr
iendsmeet

Aj
our
neyIoncemade

Jour
ney
smakepeopl
eint
ert
ained,
occupi
ed,
seest
ranget
hingsandl
ear
n.

Iwokeupearl
yinthemorni
ngon21December
.Ipackedmyfoodandr
icei
na
sat
chel
.Motheraccompani
edmetothebusst
op.Theweat
herwassunny.

Iwentt
oHararebybus.Ihadgonether
etocol
lectmyschoolr
equir
ements.Iar
ri
ved
i
nHarareatt
eno'cl
ockinthemorni
ng.Ontheway ,
Isawli
ons,
elephant
sandgiraf
fes.

FatherworkedinHarar
e.Hewaswai t
ingformeatMbar ebusst op.Iwentintoabi
g
supermarketwit
hmyf ather
.Heboughtmet wentyexer
cisebooks,tworulers,a
completeunif
orm andasatchel
.Iwasgiv
enf i
ft
ydollar
sforfees.

From thebi
gshop,wewenttomyf at
her'
shousebyatax.Ienj
oyedsadzaand
chickenhegaveme.Fat
heraccompaniedmetoMbarebust er
minusaft
eratwohour
stay.Iar
ri
vedhomeatei
ghto'cl
ockintheev
ening.

Ienj
oyedt
hej
our
neyf
orIsawst
rangeani
mal
sandr
ecei
vedusef
ulpr
esent
s.
Al
ett
erofr
equestf
orschoolf
ees

JendaPr
imar
ySchool
Pri
vat
eBagT5390

Bul
away
o

22May2017

DearFat
her

Ihavewri
tt
enthislet
tertoletyouknowofwhatisrequi
redofmeatschool .Thesum
oftwent
ydoll
arsisneededasf eesfort
hefir
stt
erm.Iam notall
owedt oattendany
l
essonbefor
eIpayf ees.Becauseofthi
s,Imaygetpooracademicresult
s.This
moneyisneededbeforetheendoft hi
smonth.Payi
ngfeeslat
ewi l
lmakemef ined.

Apartfr
om thatIalsoneedfif
teendoll
ars.Iam supposedtobuyei
ghtexer
cisebooks,
fourpens,
twopenci l
sandar uler
.Theseneedt obecarri
edinabag.SoIki
ndlyask
youtobuymeabl acksatcheltocar
rymybooks.

Besi
desthat
,Iam i
nneedofpocketmoney.Fi
vedol
lar
swil
lbeenoughfort
hat
.I
needthi
smoneytopayformyfoodandtranspor
tonspor
tscompeti
ti
ondays.

Ihopey
ouar
egoi
ngt
opr
ovi
demewi
thal
lthet
hingsIhav
erequest
ed.

Howar
eyou?Iam al
ri
ghtt
oget
herwi
thev
ery
oneel
seher
e.

Your
swi
thhope

Tapi
wa

HowIpl
antv
eget
abl
es

Fi
rstofal
lIcutdowntreesonthelandIchose.Idothatusi
ngamatchet
.It
henusea
mattockf
orstumping.Thatmakesthelandclearandeasytowor
kon.

Nex
t,Iweedwi
thahoe.Imov
ethegr
asscuti
ntoaheapusi
ngar
ake.

Imeasur eninet
ycenti
metresaswidt
hoft heseedbed.Fort
helength,Imeasureone
hundredandf if
tycent
imetr
esusi
ngat apemeasur e.It
henmakeuseofapi cktodig
thecl
ear edground.Nextt
othat
,Imixthesoilwit
hhumus.Iusear aketolevel
the
bed.AfterthatImakethebededgeswithahoe.

Havi
ngdonealltheseexerci
ses,Ithenwaterthebedusingawat er
ingcanewitha
f
inerose.Next
,Imar kpl
anti
nghol est
hreecenti
metresdeepusingastick.Imakean
i
n-r
owspacingoft encent
imetres.Twentyfi
vecenti
metreswil
lber owspacing.

Foll
owingthat
,Iuseagardent
rowelt
ot r
anspl
antr
apeseedli
ngsfrom anessary.I
thenputaseedli
ngineachoft
hemar kedhol
es.If
ir
mlycovertheseedl
ings'r
oots
withsoil
.It
henwaterthewhol
ebed.Tokeepthesoilmoi
stforalongti
me, It
hen
shedt
heseedl
i
ngs.Iusesmal
ltr
eebr
ancheswi
thgr
eenl
eav
es.

Wi
thal
lthesepr
ocesses,
arapev
eget
abl
ecanbesuccessf
ull
ygr
own.

Ani
nvi
tat
ionl
ett
ert
oaf
ri
endt
oapar
ty

JendaPri
marySchool
Pri
v at
eBagT5390
Bulawayo

18Febr
uar
y2017

Lov
edTendai

Ihav
ewr
it
tent
hisl
ett
ert
oinv
itey
out
omybi
rt
hdaypar
ty.

Thatoccasionwil
lbeheldatourhomei nMahachiv
il
lage.Thepar t
ywill
occuron25
Februaryt
hisyear
.Theev entwil
lbeexpect
edtoki
ckof fataboutelev
eninthe
morning.Thepart
ywil
llastforaboutf
ivehour
s.Iwi
llbeniney ear
soldonthepart
y'
s
day.

Besi
desyou,Ihaveinvi
tedourneighbour
s,churchmates,rel
ati
ves,
fri
endsand
cl
assmates.Iexpectal
loftheinvi
tedpeopl
etobr i
ngmepr esentsl
ikemoney,
cl
othes,
goatsandmanyot hers.Amongt heguestswhowi ll
come,MrBv epf
epf
ewi
l
l
bethemasterofceremony.MrTsv ori
tsv
otowillbetheguestofhonour.

Ther
ewillbeal
otofdel
ici
ousf
ood.Thesewilli
ncl
udechi
cken,r
ice,mazowe,beef,
bi
scui
ts,
cakes,
fri
edeggsandmanymor e.Ev
eryonei
sgoingtofeastatt
hatparty
.

Peopl
ewi
llgeti
nter
tainmentf
rom t
hemusi
cbyr
adi
o.Ther
ewi
l
lbeourCat
hol
i
cchoi
r
tohel
pmakethepartyenj
oyabl
e.

Howisli
feovery
oursi
de?Ev
ery
onei
sfi
neher
e.Ihopey
ouwi
l
lcomet
oat
tendmy
bi
rt
hdaypart
y.

I
nexpect
ati
on

Jer
emi
ah

Writ
eal
ett
eri
nvi
ti
ngy
ourf
ri
endt
oyourbi
rt
hdaypar
ty.Uset
hef
oll
owi
ngpoi
ntsand
your
sal
so.

-
whenwi
l
litbehel
d

-
wher
ewi
llt
hepar
tyoccur
-
whohav
ebeeni
nvi
ted

-
foodpeopl
ewi
lleat

-
whatwi
lli
nter
tai
nthepeopl
e

-
gif
tspeopl
eshoul
dbr
ing

-
howol
dwi
lly
oube

-
whenwi
l
lthepar
tyend

JendaPri
marySchool
Pri
v at
eBagT5390
Bulawayo

19Januar
y2017

DearPet
ros

Ihavewr i
tt
enthislett
ertoinvit
ey outomybi r
thdaypart
y .Mybirthdaypartywillbe
heldon30Januar ythisyear.Thatpar t
ywil
l beheldatourhome.Ther ewillbeour
neighbour
s,churchmat esandr elat
ivesatthepar t
y.Peoplewilleatri
ce,chickenand
cakes.Ourchurchchoirandr adiomusi cwi
ll i
ntert
aint
hepeopl e.Iexpectyout o
bri
ngmegi ftsl
ikemoneyandcl othes.Iwil
lbeni neyearsold.Thepar t
ywi l
lstar
tat
ei
ghtinthemor ning.I
twillendatf i
veintheaf t
ernoon.

Ihopey
ouwi
l
lcome.

Howar
eyou?Iam wel
l
.

Yourf
ri
end

Dav
id

ThedayIexci
tedmyt
eacher/ThedayIwi
llnev
erf
orget

Theskywascover
edindarkgr
eycl
ouds.Theypr
omi
sedheav
yrai
ns.Acool
and
gent
lebr
eezeonthatdaymademefeelgood.

Ther
ewasanat hlet
iccompeti
ti
onatMarandapr
imar yschool.Ninepri
maryschool
s
hadgathered.ThesewereBangwe,Bot
erere,
Manyuchi,Furi
dzi,Mazetese,
Dengeny
a,
Machena,ChengweandMar andat
hehosti
ngschool.Theev enthappenedon21
Febr
uarylastyear.

MrMakumbowast heheadinchar
geoft
hewhol
eoccasi
on.Al
lpeopl
ewhower
eat
t
heat
hlet
icscenewereorder
edtost
COMPI
LED.BYGar
lee