A budding young poet from Broadlands Village in Strand was lauded for her creative writing ability after standing out as a winner in the Western Cape Education Department’s 2021 school library competition themed, “My Covid Journey”.
Hottentots Holland High School learner Divine Ndaya’s poem earned her the win as a secondary scholar in the English category, as well as R25 000 prize money for her school to spend on library resources. The competition was launched by Minister Debbie Schäfer to recognise learners’ experiences of the pandemic in celebration of International School Library marked last October, and entries were open during the month of November. The Grade 11 learner’s name was listed among the winners who were announced on Thursday 17 March.
Each school was able to collate a number of poems from learners to form a single entry for submission. The department received entries from 85 schools, spanning all eight education districts and three languages, exploring themes related to the pandemic – including uncertainty and anxiety, home learning, the impact of safety protocols, and resilience. The entries were evaluated by the team from Education Library and Information Services, and the winners for each category chosen.
Schäfer’s spokesperson Kerry Mauchline upon enquiry said among key points were creativity, style and originality, a grade-appropriate level of writing skills, and relevance to the topic of how Covid-19 has affected learners’ lives and schooling, as well as how school libraries can help.
“Her poem spoke to all the themes, including the importance of school libraries, with creative and clear writing,” said Mauchline.
“We warmly congratulate Divine on her achievement, and thank her for sharing her experiences with us in such a creative way!”
The 17-year-old recalled wanting to participate in the competition from the moment she heard about it as she loves writing but is also passionate about poetry. “I knew that I had so much to write about my Covid-19 experience and what a better way than through poetry. To be honest I did not think that I would win,” said Divine.
She presented her poem, Our ‘Place’ of Dreams in a zig-zag shape, as representation of the emotional roller-coaster many of the country’s learners felt they were on during the first wave. “The road also represents my journey and how long it felt and still feels. I tried my best to keep the diction simple to avoid any misunderstanding and because I want anyone to read it and understand it instantly. It’s a universal poem so it’s not specifically my emotions but anyone can relate to it,” Divine explained.
She dedicated three hours to writing the poem, which was edited by her former English teacher, Ms J van Niekerk for a week long.
“Honestly, I still can’t believe that I wrote it. I read it over and over again, every time someone compliments it. I feel like this was the best piece that I have ever written.”
The aspiring writer wrote her first poem as a Grade 3 learner and remember making her very strict teacher smile and laugh by reading it. This memory is what motivates her to continue writing as a means to express herself and come up with pieces that others can relate to.
She extended the following message to fellow Sharkies and all other learners: “We are limitless and powerful when we believe in ourselves. When this library is created at our school, I pray that it will be a reminder that all things are possible if we pray and believe!
Hottentots Holland High School principal Marchant van Vuuren expressed being extremely proud of Divine’s initiative to enter into the competition and earning the money needed for the school to expand its library resources and educational aids.
“We are grateful that you entered under the banner of our school and the way you made our school proud. We know that come the National Senior Certificate examinations in 2023 you will achieve your dreams and keep our flag flying high,” said Van Vuuren in a direct message to Divine.
He further thanked the department for creating opportunities outside of academics for learners to excel and discover their hidden talents.
