This is a small essay written by Simbongile Zita, a student Marilyn Scott met while working in the classrooms of the Keiskamma Trust. Thank you Simbongile for writing this essay and sharing your story with us!

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I am a young man at the age of 19. As I was growing up, I did not know what my life was because I was still a baby. As I was turning the age 14 and upwards, I started to understand what life is about. The part that makes me happy is to know who I am. I am that person who is so quiet. I have respect toward other people. The open secret is that I love my family and people surrounding me.

I realise that life can change all this and make a bad person out of you, meaning people will challenge you in many ways. What I like is that my heart, out of all of these challenges, remains the same. I know that to my friends I am a good influence.

My dreams are as follows: to work hard and be an educated person and find good work so I could support my family and marry the girl my heart desires.

Anyway, I love myself no matter what and I will do the right things and fix the wrong things I have done from the past. I believe that every person has his own wrong doings in life whether they are small or big. The important part is that we all have to learn from the wrong doings and focus on the future and see what it brings for us.