Taking a glance at him, he is about 20 yrs old, the first born in the family, he can not tell exactly when he was born because his parents died while he was just a little boy.
I lived with him for a couple of month before I resigned from job to join my masters degree in the University of Dar es Salaam. It is during this time of stay, Ajuaye narrated this story to me, so painful though he narrated it with a smile on his face, I do not understand if the smile was real or ironical.
Ajuaye is a swahili word meaning he who knows, so you can simply conclude that, Ajuaye knows well about his past history and present situation he is in. Whenever Ajuaye started narrating this story, I always avoided to hear it but he kept on telling me, he wanted to release what was inside him.
The strory begins with a smile, He was born about 20 years ago, he is the first born in the family of five children, three of them bieng males and the two female, where the last born were twins.
One day, the second born got lost in an clarified situation, Ajuaye does not remember exactly the year this happened but as per his words one can tell that, it was when Ajuaye was about 10 or 12 years.
It was raining heavily and this little boy was playing in a nearby place, the family also new about him being around home, but when it stopped pouring, he never returned home till in the third day when he was found dead in the nearby bush. The funeral ceremony was done and Ajuaye's young bother was no more with them, the family remained with four kids.
A year later, Ajuaye and his young brother and twins plus their Mom decided to pay a visit to their grand mother, in a neighbour village, it was about three hours walking distance, on the way, the rain started pouring, Ajuaye carried one twin while their mom carried the other and the boy was walking in his own, the rain poured on them for the rest of their journey till they reached their grandmom's house.
They arrived lately in the evening when one of the youngs felt ill ( I dont remember his name), he was taken to the hospital in the same evening, this needed to board the bus, it was about 70 kilometers. I think he was suffering from pneumonia according to Ajuaye's narration. Ajuaye remained home with the twins. When they went to sleep, Ajuaye slept in one bed with Doto who was now about three or four years old as i noticed.
Early in the next morning, Ajuaye got up, lighting fire to prepare poridge for the boy who was admitted to hospital and for them too at home. After a while, the poridge was ready and he ordered the young Kurwa to go in the bedroom and wake Doto to take poridge as their breakfast, few minutes later Kurwa came out telling her brother that; Doto did not wake up though she forced her to wake up, after a while, Ajuaye went in to wake her up, he shruged her but she never woke up again, Ajuaye knew that , this business was over.
He went out in the next house knocking and told the elders what was happening, when these elders came, they proved that the kid was no longer alive. They started making arrangements for the funeral while contacting their relatives too including the mother who took the boy to hospital.
Before the news reached them in the hospital, other news from hospital reached home that, the boy has passed away in hospital when doctors were trying to serve his life.The grave that was to be prepared for the boy who was admitted to hospital yesterday was used by Doto and the boy was burried in hospital graveyard on the same day. Therefore, in 24hr time the family lost two members.
According to Ajuaye, his parents could not tolerate this event, his father went mad, Ajuaye's mother after seeing this, she ran for a rope and decided to hang herself but she could not make it she was served.
In two years after this, both parents passed away after suffering, I can not tell exactly what happened to them but according to Ajuaye, they were suffering from unknown diseases???!! From there, the family of seven members ( 5 children and Mother and Father) remained with two members only; Ajuaye with his young sister- Kurwa.
These children remained in their grandmom's house for quite sometime before a "good Samaritan" came to request the relatives to take Ajuaye to her home. Late in that evening Ajuaye started new life in another house, life at first was easy and good. Ajuaye started seeing new life and the end of those nighmares was over.
Ajuaye was later on used to the environment, the "Good Samaritan" started to assign duties to Ajuaye. At first they were just simple tasks but as time went on things turned vice versa, Ajuaye was then asigned duties which was totally aganist his wish, he was assigned duties to feed the cattle, taking them to the fields and so on.
One of the event Ajuaye will never forget was when he saw lively the thunderstorm killing the sheep he was feeding and burning the tree near him ( as per his narration). Ajuaye kept on standing without understanding and believing what was happening in front of his eyes, what he remembers today is; he found himself at home unknowingly ( He ran may be).
Troubles in this new home became a daily routine, several times Ajuaye slept with hunger, eating nothing till morning. He thought of going back to his grandmother but he could hadrly remember the way back home. He escaped several times but never managed to reach home before he was caught.
What made Ajuaye sad, was the techinique used by this Samaritan to use these orphans ( Ajuaye and others) as a capital in sense that, whenever there was assistance to be provided by either government or individuals, this Mother would consider herself as a good samaritan living with orphans so that she gets extra share.
After two years Ajuaye managed to escape and reach home safely to his grandmom's hut, the trip took him almost a whole day, caught and ran, climbing and dropping. His grandmama is living with Kurwa, the remained twin and now with Ajuaye, the grandmom's age is approximately 100 years, she can still see though not very clearly, she can narrate her past history and that, during the first World War she was already a 'girl'.
Ajauye has been feeding this family and manages his personal needs, he depends little from others.
In 2008 I came across Ajuaye through Mama Magreth, manager of the OVC group, I requested her to allow me to live with Ajuaye since I was living all alone, and here is when I heard of that terrible story, just part of the many stories.
Today Ajuaye is in form three, I am proud of being part of his future. Me and Ajuaye are building a two rooms house for this granmother. She is so kind and I love this lonely family.
I wish to help others that they may help themselves too. This is the great thing, We need to serve others to serve themselves.
For Ajuaye's Past History and Brighter Future to Come.
Mshana, Elineema
Blog manager
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