MY 10-year-old-daughter narrated a story that left me speechless.
MY 10-year-old-daughter narrated a story that left me speechless.
Last Saturday her aunt took her and her friend to play at the Union Buildings. They asked the policemen on duty if they could have a look at the inside of the building. The policemen allowed them in, with some instructions.
While inside the building, they bumped into President Jacob Zuma and they greeted him. Amazingly, he engaged them in a conversation and asked them questions about themselves and their schools.
He asked them if they wanted sweets, then took them to a room and offered them some.
He also talked about the pictures of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in the building. He told them that the inscription "True Hero" under Mandela's picture meant he fought for the freedom of this country.
I was dumbfounded when my daughter told me this.
This quality of Jacob Zuma's is what endears him to many people. He has time for everybody, even young children he found wandering near his office.
The two girls have a good impression of Zuma and my daughter says she is going to write a story about her encounter with the president that she will present to her class. Such experiences inspire children.
I know it is impossible to carry out, but I wish there was a way that many more children could meet important people in society, whether in government, sports, academia and so on. We need to inspire our children.
Stephen Twinoburyo, Pretoria
President Zuma inspired children
MY 10-year-old-daughter narrated a story that left me speechless.
MY 10-year-old-daughter narrated a story that left me speechless.
Last Saturday her aunt took her and her friend to play at the Union Buildings. They asked the policemen on duty if they could have a look at the inside of the building. The policemen allowed them in, with some instructions.
While inside the building, they bumped into President Jacob Zuma and they greeted him. Amazingly, he engaged them in a conversation and asked them questions about themselves and their schools.
He asked them if they wanted sweets, then took them to a room and offered them some.
He also talked about the pictures of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki in the building. He told them that the inscription "True Hero" under Mandela's picture meant he fought for the freedom of this country.
I was dumbfounded when my daughter told me this.
This quality of Jacob Zuma's is what endears him to many people. He has time for everybody, even young children he found wandering near his office.
The two girls have a good impression of Zuma and my daughter says she is going to write a story about her encounter with the president that she will present to her class. Such experiences inspire children.
I know it is impossible to carry out, but I wish there was a way that many more children could meet important people in society, whether in government, sports, academia and so on. We need to inspire our children.
Stephen Twinoburyo, Pretoria