I want to acknowledge to myself and the universe
that I am a beautiful woman—
whole, radiant, and worthy.
Not because someone sees it,
but because I do.
And when love finds me,
it will be because it recognizes what I already know,
that I am deserving of care, softness, and joy.
I am tired of always…
Alice was the first woman
who told me I am beautiful.
We sat across from each other,
and she looked at me and asked,
“Do you know you are beautiful?”
Before I could answer Alice, she
she smiled and said,
“You are beautiful.
Don’t let anyone else make you feel otherwise.
Especially boys.
If they make you doubt it…
“Words unsaid, scenes unfold, secrets untold, in his eyes we behold”.
Partner in crime, you made me.
What a beautiful way to frame it.
With me on the cover page,
In a newspaper? In this time and age?
What use is information written on paper?
Till you went on and made it public!
Now the streets…
I finally realized that I poisoned myself with hatred,
Because I hated everyone and everything I set my eyes on.
Hatred took my dignity,
It took away the beauty within me
And it all cost me my life.
Because of hatred,
I ran away from reality,
I couldn’t face it anymore.
Hatred penetrated my heart with its…
My name is Tshegofatso Kgosintwa. I am the founder of the BIG Sister Society, a digital anti-gender-based violence (GBV) movement I created in March 2021.
My journey didn’t begin with the work I do today. It started when I was just three months old. In 1995, I tragically lost my…
Butterfly
Beautiful like a ray of sunshine
Wings that can flap for hours
Our life as butterfly cowers
We hold our heads up high like a tower
To reach the height of a butterfly
Just like a butterfly, we can transform
The transformation is slow and delicate
But when we change it is a resplendent glory
Our life…
You are nothing but a mere man,
A fragile vessel, a flesh, and a fan.
A fleeting shadow, dust, and breath,
Dancing on the escarpment of death.
You crave for power, yearn for fame,
But minutes erode your fragile frame.
Your triumphs fade, and your glories dim,
A fading mournful echo, a forgotten hymn.
You build your…
My name is Mathapelo Atoro and I am from a very small town named Gibing, near Wepener, in the Free State province. I was raised by my single mother, alongside my late grandparents. My mother worked as a domestic worker to provide for us. I have a younger brother…