Nkhensani Ngobeni

Country: South Africa

My birthday is 2010-07-12

Status: Vulnerable Child

My favorite subject is math.

I enjoy running.

I want to be a doctor.

Nkhensani Ngobeni is 14 years old and from a village called Rhabe. At home, she lives with her grandfather, grandmother, two cousins, and two sisters. Her name means “thank you”. Her mother and father are married, and they live and work in Cape Town. Nkhensani’s favorite subject is mathematics, and her favorite sport is running. She is a cross-country runner at school, and she enjoys it a lot. When she grows up, she wants to be a doctor to help people get better when they are sick. Nkhensani lives at Intlantsi Christian School in Fort White during the school week.  On the weekends, she goes back to her village, Rhabe, where she lives with her grandfather.  While Fort White has the most modern amenities available in the area, the surrounding villages are quite different.  In the villages, people collect water from a communal tap and use outhouses.  Though they have access to electricity, most villagers cannot afford to pay for an electric meter. Most of our children have grown up attending no-fee schools, where they are provided what may be their only meal for the day.  Most girls like Nkhensani do not finish high school.