Atalia’s Story

     ” I am Atalia Chongo. I was raised n a small town called Kwamhlanga. When I was 5 years old, my mother met Donors from USA who helped build a house for her, my siblings and I. They then helped my parents enrol me in MCA in 2010 for Grade R (Kindergarten). Being in MCA has been a blessing in my life and I am grateful that God had been so intentional about that.

I attended school in MCA until I graduated in Grade 6. Emerging from MCA as a 12 year old I could fluently speak, read and write English. That had been an advantage for me wherever I went. I would be in competitions and win some awards that I believe I would not be able to without the foundation that was built for me in MCA. To this I believe my fluency in English is playing a big role in my life as I can witness how my peers struggle because of this particular skill.

One another thing that always brings gratitude in my life is that I got to learn about God. Growing up in the kind of family that I grew up in, I don’t believe I would have tried to seek God or maybe even try to know about God.I always remember how I did not understand much but now I do and I feel favoured. Just like God’s favourite daughter.

What I have mentioned is only but a fraction of how MCA has been a blessing in my life. It is always a prayer that MCA may be to the others what it has been for me. I must also mention the community. Scratch that, not the caps.COMMUNITY. I have relationships in my life but the ones I have in MCA are different. I don’t even know on how to put it down in words but they are not convenient relationships. They are lifelong relationships.

I have learned to serve, and much more. It is something beautiful.I am doing my first year at the University of Witwatersrand. I am studying Computer Science. I had intentionally wanted to become a Medical Doctor / Practitioner for the sake of helping others. I have come to learn that Computer Science is about solving problems and that sound much like what I want to do. I want to bring about help that is dynamic in every way. For the love of others, it really is not about me.

My goals, I am honestly at a stage in my life where I am discovering a lot about myself and my dreams. My goals are being reshaped.I do not want to satisfy them as yet I am still open to a  lot more.