Sekai- The unsung hero in my childhood

When I think of unsung heroes in my life, Sekai quickly comes to mind. She moved in with us when I was about seven years old. She was not just a househelp, to me she became my companion, protector and teacher in many ways. As a child, I didn’t fully grasp her impact in my life but now as an adult, I realize how much her unwavering presence shaped my childhood.

My school at that time was a walking distance from home, Sekai would fetch me every afternoon while my mother was at work and we would walk home together, hand in hand, chatting endlessly. On Fridays, my mother would give her money to buy me ice cream and I always looked forward to choosing my favourite treat from the white and blue Dairyboard ice cream cart.

Once home, Sekai would make me something to eat and then remind me to start on my homework before I could play or watch cartoons. I recall the times she would assist me with my Shona homework, patiently explaining to me the concepts I didn’t fully understand. One of my fondest memories was when she taught me about the different types of claypots (hari) used in Shona cooking. Having grown up in Harare, I had only seen those in books. Sekai promised to bring me a hari the next time she went to her rural home in Buhera so I could see what it really looked like. True to her word, she brought the hari and even lit a fire and cooked relish in it, just so I could see how it was really done firsthand. I remember hovering, excitedly around the fire to check the progress of our “project” until it was finally done. She didn’t have to, but she did. That’s the kind of person Sekai was, always going the extra mile for me.

Whenever my mother was away, Sekai made sure that everything ran smoothly. She made sure I went to bed on time, woke me up early for school and packed my things. In hindsight, it’s easy to say that she was just doing her job, but I believe Sekai gave more than what was asked. She brought warmth and consistency into our home.

She showed love for me in small but meaningful ways. Everytime she came back from Buhera, she would bring me groundnuts, she knew how much I loved those and always brought some for me without fail. She would tell me about her family back home, although I never met them, I knew all their names. As she told me these stories, she drew me into her world and I felt like I was part of it.

A couple of years later, Sekai got married and had to leave us to go and live with her husband. That was the last time I saw her. I missed her terribly. Even now, I still have moments when I think of her, with fondness and gratitude. I hope she is well. I hope life has been kind to her the way she was to little me. Maybe one day, our paths will cross again, even if they don’t, she still remains a pivotal part of my childhood- my unsung hero.

There are many Sekais in the world, the ones who carry us so effortlessly without ever complaining. It’s so easy to take them for granted because we get so used to having them around. My mother was able to go to work without worry because she knew I was safe with Sekai, I was able to enjoy my childhood and just be a child because Sekai made it easy for me. May we recognize and appreciate the Sekais in our lives while we still can. The heroes who don’t wear capes. May we never take them for granted because one day all we will have are memories and hearts full of gratitude.