An 11-year-old Durban pupil, Shakira Hajji is less worried about school as she tries to come to terms with her tragic loss of her entire family, who were victims of the KwaZulu-Natal floods.
Her mother, father and her younger brother all perished during the angry rains, which battered many parts of KwaZulu-Natal leaving mayhem and misery.
Her home located along the Palmiet Nature Reserve near Westville collapsed and buried them alive.
Shakira miraculously emerged from the rubble unscathed.
But this was not the case for her mom Halima, 29, her dad Kalis, 34, and their nine month old son, Kevin, who were swallowed by the debris.
Community members in the area have since taken it upon themselves to assist the young girl.
One resident, Devon Crispin, said the community was worried about her mental state and how she would cope.
“One cannot begin to imagine what’s going on in the mind of the little girl. Losing the entire family under these tragic circumstances is a heavy load to carry even for a grown up. Psychologists and social workers should quickly step in,” said Crispin.
More than 1200 pupils lost their homes and parents during the floods, some pupils continue to be housed in community halls and other shelters.
Teacher unions have also joined hands aiding pupils under distress with some teachers volunteering to accommodate some pupils in their homes.
There are also concerns that many pupils who lost their parents might be untraceable while others may decide to drop out to fend for their siblings.
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