amandla
Mahlungulu is an area just next to the Mozambican border and 2km from the bay of Kosi. When you take a walk along the area you meet people walking barefoot carrying fishing rods towards small lakes in the area and Kosi Bay. You ask yourself what is happening? The answer is simple; this is the source of income for many households in the area, where they are doing informal trading of fish to get money to sustain themselves. Most families are very poor if you compare with the community near Hambisanani High school. Even though the distance is not more than 10 km, there is vast different.
The existence of Amandla High school came into being after the community saw the need for a High school . Before, students used to travel more than 10 km to the nearest High school. The community named the school Amandla* because it was from their power that the school existed. They made blocks together with the only businessperson in the area and construct Amandla, which today is a well-respected school in terms of their academic performance.
Lack of facilities in the school is featuring the slow development of the area. Neither the school nor the community have running water; to fetch water they walk 2-5km to reach the streams or the newly built boreholes.
There is one soccer pitch in the area which belongs to a local team, with which the school is expected to share. The pitch is very much used, which makes it hard for the school to have enough time for practice session. For the girls, who by old habit are not prioritized when it comes to soccer, the challenge is almost doubled. Facing these challenges the ladies’ soccer team is still very eager to play!
*Amandla means power in isiZulu
