A day in the life and home of a child in an informal settlement

 I opened my eyes to my mother screaming at me to get up, my back ached from the cold bare earth beneath me. I sat up and looked through the window at my reflection I had dark circles under my eyes, and I new I hadn’t slept. Slowly getting ready to start the fresh new day I started my chores. Dad was already at work, working his butt off to get us the money we desperately needed. I picked up the bucket off laundry and went outside the cold nipping at my skin. Hours ticked by and when I knew it was time, I went to school. I walked for miles, the mud sludged through my toes as I walked. I felt happy to see my school again for I was off sick for a few days.

I threw my bag down onto the floor as my chair and sat on it. My friend Danielle walked up to me and asked if I had slept last night. I nodded my head as she took her place right next to me. You should take a break off of those chores you know. I took my book out of my desk as the lesson began to start. I shook my head and said no, my mother needs help there’s too many chores to do it all by herself. Dani just gave me a sympathetic look and took her book out too. The day dragged on to the last lesson of the day my personal favorite learning to read. We all sat on the floor and shared text books with one another. We then turned to a page 23 of the book as the teacher began to read. She spelled the words out for us r-u-n spells run she said, o-u-t spells out and on and on and on. 

I ran out of school all the way back to the house I had to get ready I forgot all about the play date I had with Dani we were going to talk about our dream houses and bedrooms. I put my bag down next to my bed and ran outside shouting to my mom that I was going to Dani’s house. I arrived at Dani’s house and saw her outside playing soccer with her older brother. We went to the hill and sat there as we talked I wish I had a pretty brick house with a garden that grew vegetables and fruit and that I had a gorgeous purple bed that had multiple blankets I said. Well my house will be double story house with an adorable Labrador and a aqua blue bed. It started to darken and I went home I quickly scrubbed my self and then went to bed.