Sifiwe and Temba’s Story

Sifiwe, who is 15, and her younger brother Temba, aged 11,  arrived from Zimbabwe two years ago and live with both parents. They are good school attendees and are motivated and able.  

Sifiwe is virtually fluent in English and on track for 10 good GCSE passes and she wants to go to college and university. She is a talented, keen singer and she is popular at school. Her father is ill and frequently has long stays in hospital. Even when he is at home he is not strong. 

Sifiwe’s mother is working as a teacher part-time so she can attend hospital appointments with her husband. She too is frequently unwell and suffers from depression.

Sifiwe often takes on the role of caring for Temba. She arrives late for school every day as she takes Temba to his school first and she is unable to participate in after-school clubs or revision, as she has to collect him. She is unable to attend the singing club or perform in the concert, as she cannot attend rehearsals.

Sadly Sifiwe’s father died and her mother decided to move elsewhere in the UK to be near the support of other relatives.  Sifiwe lost her father and was then uprooted from her friends and school in the middle of Year 11. Her new school does not offer Spanish, IT GNVQ or Travel and Tourism, in all of which she was excelling, and the syllabus is different in many other subjects. Sifiwe is still expected to take on a carer’s role for Temba, as her mother feels she must work to support the family. Sifiwe’s anticipated GCSE grades dropped and she has started to feel a failure, blaming herself for the events.