Autobiography of Puleng Mbali

My name is Puleng Mbali was born in 1 October 1990. My mother’s name was Matshidiso Thamae my father was Thomas Baloyi. I was living at Meadowlands zone 2 Soweto. Both my parents died when I was at a very young. I had to stay with my maternal grandmother. Growing up was very difficult for me, not having a mother.

When you are young you need your mother to guide and show you the right way. In that way it made me a strong young child. Growing up I had the dream that I wanted to be a social worker. To help the children who had no parents; to motivate them. Not having parents does not mean you have no future. I finished schooling after grade 12. I then worked at a call centre, got married and moved to Slovo Park with my husband.

I heard about an organisation called PUSH. I took my CV and they hired me. I started working there in 2016. I was happy to work there as I could fulfill my dream of working with orphans and vulnerable children. I could not become a Social Worker.

Being at PUSH has allowed me to become the social worker which I always wanted to be. I have seen children with no parents and I could relate to them hence I was able to have a good relationship with them and showed them love. I was then introduced to the Jozi Book Fair and the Feminist Network through the relationship between PUSH and Khanya College.

The Network has taught me to be a firm and stand my ground and not let a man to rule my life and that my past and fails doesn’t determine my future. It made me a strong woman.

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