Young Women Rising

FOR NON-WHITES born in post-apartheid South Africa, the country promised equal rights and legal freedom. But the first generation of “born frees,” as they are called, also entered a world where HIV/AIDS was destroying their families and communities. Many children and teens were left largely fending for themselves in townships plagued by poverty, disease, and violence.

Author Kimberly Burge, a Sojourners contributing writer, entered this world not as an aid or social worker, but rather on a Fulbright scholarship, to form a writing group for adolescent girls in the township of Gugulethu. Too old for the child-centered programs and too young for adult assistance, the girls were falling through the cracks of established programs. The writing club offered them the opportunity to creatively express their fears, frustrations, and dreams.

To Burge’s credit, the book is not primarily about her or her experiences. She keeps the focus on the girls themselves and the often breathtaking words and thoughts they express in their writing. Burge is not there to rescue them, but rather to help them find their voices. She acts less as a teacher than a peer, encouraging girls to lead the group themselves and prompting them to write about such topics as “I wish I could ...” or “I need to find a place ...”

The group, self-named Amazw’Entombi or Voices of the Girls, becomes a safe place for the girls to gather weekly, sharing their writings and building friendships. Most have lost at least one parent; some are living with relatives who offer a roof but no nurture or encouragement. As Burge befriends the girls, she learns their often-heartbreaking stories. One is living with HIV after being repeatedly raped by an uncle when she was just 7 or 8 years old. Another is trying to graduate from high school but has to make up for poor schooling and a disrupted living situation. Others are beaten by boyfriends or mistreated by relatives.

Despite their circumstances, the girls often write about hopes and dreams.

Asked to imagine herself 25 years in the future, a girl named Sharon writes: “I see the ocean from my balcony. I see peace and tranquility. I see me being beautiful, free, and living. ... In my future, I look at myself in my mirror and love what I see.”

Burge skillfully provides context for the girls’ stories without breaking the narrative rhythm. She explains the prevalence of gender-based violence and the insidious impact of HIV/AIDS.

Beautifully written, The Born Frees offers a glimpse into present-day South Africa and the post-apartheid challenges, but mostly introduces us to the voices of courage, strength, and hope of girls who rise above almost unimaginable circumstances. When Burge’s scholarship ends, she must return to the U.S., but two years later she goes back to Gugulethu for a reunion with the group where she asks the girls to reflect on what the group meant to them. Ntombizanele writes:

Amazw’Entombi gave me space and encouraged me to find my voice, to write about what it means being intombazana [a girl], growing up in the township of Gugulethu in need of direction and inspiration ... It’s a place I learnt to love my God-given husky voice and mostly it’s a place I learnt how it felt and what it meant to be listened to.

As Burge herself reflects on the experience, she steps back from the cliché of giving “voice to the voiceless.” Instead she says, “These young women have always had voices. They just needed to be prompted, to have the questions asked, and for the rest of us to have ears to hear, and the good sense to listen to them.” This uplifting book gives us all a chance to listen.