Despite her tender age, already she has seen it all. Sibusiso, a Form Two student, is confronted with the challenges of schooling in a rural area. Her school, Maenjani Junior Secondary School, is situated outside her own village some 10km away. Kalakamati is a typical rural settlement, which does not enjoy the convenience of public transport. For the entire duration of junior secondary school course, students, especially from poverty stricken backgrounds, are literally condemned to a 'life' walking the 20km distance to and from school.
Just like any other Motswana child, Sibusiso dreams of completing her Junior Certificate (JC) studies to qualify for a senior secondary place. Unlike her counterparts elsewhere in the country, schooling is a real ordeal. The biggest challenge confronting her is not the difficulty of the curriculum but negotiating and walking a distance of 20km to and from school on a sandy, dusty road. Worse, hers is a journey full of hazards. There is danger everywhere. The thick forest on the way seems to harbour hazards of all kinds.
