As the golden sun dipped below the horizon in the beautiful rural village of Mnongoni, it cast an attractive glow on small hills and woody plants. As darkness slowly enveloped the land, 12-year-old Nandera, a bright-eyed, beautiful black girl and a student at the local primary school, sat alone on her bed. Her peace of mind was slowly destroyed by a growing sense of anxiety.
Earlier that afternoon, a new student, a thin boy of her age and slightly shorter than her, had arrived in the classroom. As usual, his face bore tell-tale signs of suffering. His skin had bruises and small cuts here and there, which he normally tried to hide, and his eyes were sad. Nandera’s heart sank with concern. Now, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
As the final bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, she noticed the new student, Katondo, quickly gathering his belongings and slipping out of the classroom. Curiosity and a nagging sense of worry drove Nandera to quietly follow him. She maintained a careful distance as Katondo weaved through the school grounds and eventually vanished behind the tall, white school building.
As Nandera’s heart pounded like a drum in her chest, she slowly rounded the corner. There, she saw a chilling sight: Katondo stood alone, trembling, tears streaming down his face. Suddenly, three older boys in school uniform emerged from another corner, their menacing grins sending shivers down Nandera’s spine.
They rudely demanded money from Katondo. When he said he had none, they beat him up mercilessly, grabbed him by the collar, and forcibly dragged him away as their voices formed a chilling chorus of insults and threats.
Fear paralyzed Nandera for a minute as she watched in horror. Then, she quickly ran back to her classroom, her mind wrestling with what she had seen. She couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about it, not even her parents, siblings, or teachers. She kept replaying the insults and threats from the bullies in her head like a sad song.
That night, Nandera couldn’t sleep. Thoughts of Katondo’s situation tormented her. She tossed and turned in her bed, her mind tied by guilt and fear.
*****
The next morning, Nandera went to school with a heavy heart. As she approached her classroom, she noticed Katondo hastily searching and stealing from other students’ bags, while others were busy sweeping the school grounds and watering the flower gardens.
When he saw Nandera, he quickly stopped and pretended to be looking for something under his desk. His face had fresh bruises, and his eyes were pleading for help.
Nandera cautiously approached Katondo and whispered, “I saw what happened yesterday. Do you need help?” Katondo’s eyes widened in surprise, a glimmer of hope flickered across his face, but then tears welled up in his eyes. He shook his head and ran outside.
Gathering all of her remaining strength, Nandera followed him outside. At the same spot, she noticed the same older boys she had seen yesterday angrily demanding money from Katondo again. Without hesitation, she grabbed a nearby stick and marched fearlessly towards them.
“Hey! Stop this!” she shouted bravely, even though her voice trembled with both fear and determination. The bullies turned around, their expressions a mixture of surprise and anger.
“Who are you to tell us what to do?” One of them mocked.
Nandera stood her ground, her eyes blazing with boldness.
“I can’t stand by and watch you hurt him,” she said, her voice firm with determination. “It’s wrong, and I will report you.” The bullies hesitated, caught off guard by Nandera’s unexpected show of bravery.
Encouraged by her actions, Katondo found the strength to speak up for himself. “Leave me alone!” he cried, mustering all his courage as he pulled himself away from the bullies.
Together, Nandera and Katondo fought back against them. The bullies, outnumbered and outmatched, retreated in defeat. Nandera and Katondo ran for their lives, the sound of their chasers’ footsteps echoing behind them.
Finally, they escaped harm and found a safe place in a secluded corner of the school grounds. As they sat there catching their breath, a sense of victory rushed through Nandera. She had not only stood up to the bullies but had also inspired Katondo to stand up for himself.
“Katondo,” Nandera said, “you should tell the teachers about this.” Fear clouded Katondo’s eyes.
“They threatened to burn down our house if I didn’t give them money,” he whispered fearfully. “They will kill me.”
Nandera’s heart sank again. Now, she understood why she had seen him stealing from others. But, she couldn’t leave Katondo to suffer alone.
“I’ll come with you,” she said. “We’ll tell them together.”
With a new determination, they decided to report the bullies to their teacher. The teacher listened attentively and took immediate action. She reported the incident to the head teacher, who promptly involved the bullies’ parents and guardians, as well as the police from the community policing programme – Polisi Jamii, who often visited the school for law and safety education.
The bullies were identified during the school parade and were punished for their actions. They received a suspension and were required to attend a behavioural change program with the police.
Justice had been served, and Nandera was relieved to know that the school was now a safer place.
*****
After the troubling events that unfolded, Nandera was celebrated as a hero. Her bravery inspired many other children to stand up against bullying and to seek help when needed. She was rightfully awarded for her courage.
The experience taught Nandera the importance of speaking up against injustice, even when it’s difficult. She vowed to one day become a police officer and protect others, especially children.
Katondo also changed his ways. He stopped stealing and focused on his studies, grateful for Nandera’s support. He did not allow anyone to threaten and bully him again.
Since that day, Mnongoni Primary School has become a place of peace and safety. The incident taught the students that bullying is harmful, they were not alone, and that they could rely on the support of their teachers and the community.
Nandera’s legacy continued to inspire generations of students to stand up for what is right and to create a better world for themselves and others.
This story emerged as the 2nd place winner of the 2024 Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature.
Please click here to view the full list of the winners and to read their stories
