Publisher's Synopsis
Nandi is a young girl living in South Africa. She grew up in the humble village of Dumakude in Kwazulu Natal. After she passed her Matric with flying colours, she decides to pursue her dream of becoming a Pilot. She worked very hard towards her dream only to have her plans derailed by a selfish man who abducts her in the name of a sick, twisted traditional practice known as Ukuthwala. He intends to force her to abandon her dreams and identity and become his wife. The man later discovers that Nandi is not as vulnerable as he thought she was. She inherited her Mother's die-hard spirit. The story follows how Nandi deals with the reality of unexpectedly becoming a victim of abduction and forced child marriage. Will she give up on her dreams, or will she overcome the great adversity in which she finds herself? Many girls who face a similar situation never make it. The book covers themes such as Rape, Education, Dyslexia, Abuse and many others.In Africa, our traditions are an important part of who we are.We value them, we protect them.However, under the guise of culture, human rights violations like female genital mutilation, Ukuthwala(Abduction), child marriage and others are committed across the motherland.Women and children are forced to respect and cherish practices that benefit men and oppress females.When women cry out to the men in society, all they get in response is a demand for respect."Though I slay you, you must respect me''.We have men, who when they are faced with a choice to either keep their traditions alive, or preserve the life of a human being, the choice is to keep their traditions alive.The problem is that we as men have forgotten the true purpose of our strength.We have also taught women to associate the strength of a man with negative things.It seems that all the strength of a man is good for is pulling a trigger, punching their teeth out;dragging them into a taxi or into a bush, ripping off their clothes as we rape them.Women no longer associate our strength with protection, safety, comfort as we embrace them and the strength to build a home, to bring peace, stability, hope, and love has also vanished. Those are the only things that should earn the respect of a woman.You cannot demand it;you cannot beat it out of them or scare them into yielding it.Their respect is a response to being loved.This book focuses on Ukuthwala (Abduction);a cultural invention and practice that is being misused by men to get away with kidnapping and raping of young women as they are coerced into marriage.When practiced properly, a man would only practice this tradition with a woman with whom he has an agreement.In other words, they are two consenting adults who have been in a relationship and have agreed beforehand that they will marry.So, the man would only abduct the woman after she has given him permission to do so.Afterwards, contact would be made with the woman's family and a dowry would be paid.These days however, young boys and even older men choose to abduct any woman they wish and force them to sleep with them and be their wife.Young girls who are still in school are usually the victims of this cruel, twisted and selfish practice.Sometimes, parents are also involved as they agree on a fee with these men and allow them to abduct their children and force them into becoming their wives. The child's wishes, her future and education bare no weight in deciding her fate.Young girls with talent to become Pilots, Doctors, Lawyers, Artists and Presidents find their dreams shattered as they end up falling pregnant by their abductors.The book is MOTIVATIONAL, INSPIRATIONAL and I hope that m
