Life on the Other Side of My Neighbourhood

Often, we traverse through life in a bubble, oblivious to the realities unfolding just across the neighbourhood. It’s not deliberate, but a common human tendency. Yet, when a sliver of life ‘on the other side’ catches our eye, it prompts a riveting realization: do we indeed inhabit the same world?

This newfound perspective might send shivers down your spine as you grapple with the stark contrasts of life, especially in the landscape of Southern Africa. Here, countless souls are relegated to the status of ‘desperadoes,’ their lives shackled by the chains of poverty, a situation exacerbated by the haunting shadows of colonization.

How I yearn for our leaders to don disguises, to walk a mile in the shoes of those on the other side of the neighbourhood. Such an experience could unveil the crushing repercussions of lacklustre governance on the future generations of Southern Africa. Perhaps then, they might reconsider their leadership ethos, valuing citizens as beings of emotion and aspiration, not merely as ballot ticks.

Through the lens of an ordinary South African immigrant, this narrative unfolds a tapestry of daily challenges, endeavouring to offer you a deeper understanding. As you traverse through her journey, may it spark a transformation within, urging you to look beyond the familiar, and delve into the unseen narratives that share our world yet remain veiled in the mists of unawareness.

Angeleen Chenesai Magwizi is a doting grandmother of two feisty boys. She grew up in Rhodesia—now Zimbabwe—and experienced the liberation war struggle in her teenage years. Having trained as a primary school teacher, she taught for over 20 years – before retiring. She has always been an avid reader and recalls writing articles to local newspapers about Southern African social challenges of the blind during high school and these went on to be published. With her increasingly growing concerns about the welfare of immigrant children, Chenesai has written a heart-felt story inspired by true events related by friends and family abroad.