The kraal baby

Abandoned Luhle receives love and support that makes him into a man his mother would be proud of

- MBALENHLE XULU

SURPRISE! The startling cries came from inside the house as I opened the door. This was too much for me, and I finally let my defences down and burst into tears.

I had gone through so many emotions during the course of that day already and I had not fully recovered during our long journey home.

It didn’t help that Ma, as I called her, had made countless stops along the way when all I wanted to do was get home and rest.

The event that set this all off was my graduation – we’d just spent the whole morning in the university hall clapping and cheering.

It felt unreal somehow but I had made it through three years of studies and I was very happy with my results.

When I heard my name being called, I was not sure I would manage to walk up and along the stage to receive my degree – never in my life had I dreamt such things would come my way.

MY NAME is Luhle and I grew up in a farming community so different from the city I now live in. My start in life was a strange one, so I will tell you more. I never knew either of my parents.

I’m told they fell in love the moment they met.

Very soon after, I was conceived. They were both very young and had very strict parents, so they decided to keep the pregnancy a secret.

They ran away together before my mom’s tummy starting showing, but matters became even more complicated when my father was killed in a tractor accident.

Suddenly my mother was faced with the prospect of raising a child alone.