[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-detail-49088-en":3,"doc-seo-49088-105":29,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":94},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",{"doc_id":7,"user_id":8,"nickname":9,"user_avatar":10,"doc_module":4,"category_id":11,"category_name":12,"doc_title":13,"doc_description":14,"doc_content":15,"file_id":16,"file_url":17,"file_type":18,"file_size":19,"view_count":20,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":11,"is_downloadable":11,"audit_status":11,"page_count":21,"language":22,"language_code":23,"site_id":24,"html_lang":23,"table_of_contents":25,"faqs":26,"seo_title":13,"seo_description":14,"update_tm":27,"read_time":28},49088,7971461740909,"Levi","https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_155a257f0dc6eb9ab79c44ca47cae57d",1,"Story & Novel","Together We’re Strong","A winter illness tests a family’s resilience, as Ma Monikazi comforts a newborn with song and determination. Her daughter, Nontsikelelo (Albertina), grows into a strong, loving girl who contributes to daily care, helps her family, and bonds with her grandfather’s horses, learning to ride with confidence. On her sixth birthday she navigates the pressure to choose an English name, then embraces her identity through community roles and traditional ceremony responsibilities.","Together We’re Strong Liesl Jobson  \nAlice Toich  \nTogether We’re Strong Written by Liesl Jobson Illustrated by Alice Toich  \nOne harsh winter, many people in the land were sick. Ma Monikazi’s cheeks burned. Sweat dripped from her body. She wanted to hold the icy grass to her face to cool down . Under her blanket she held her belly and sang to the baby inside her: “Be strong, little one . Winter’s not long. Be brave, little one . Together we’re strong!” Her stomach growled when the baby’s powerful kicks woke her at night. She ate the leftover meat in  \nthe cooking pot, hungry for life. One bright night the moon was bigger, fatter and pinker than ever . Her breath came fast. The baby was ready. The aunties in the birthing room rubbed her back and warmed the water. When Monikazi held her beautiful daughter in her arms, she knew she was a special girl, a fighter. What a blessing! Her name is Nontsikelelo. She will be the mother of all blessings.  \nNontsikelelo was beautiful and strong with crinkling black button eyes. She loved her older brother, Mcengi. He made her laugh and so the laughter spread. She loved to eat meat before she had teeth. Her favourite aunt always kept a little portion on the side of her plate for Ntsiki. Mcengi chased the chickens that scratched in the garden where Ma Monikazi grew spinach and squash to feed her family. Ntsiki ran after him as her  \nlegs grew strong. Ma Monikazi had another baby boy, Velaphi, and another, Qudalele. Finally another sister, Nomyaleko . Little Ntsiki folded napkins and washed the baby clothes. She swept the house and fed the fire . She picked up her baby brother when he cried and tickled him till he laughed. She taught them to sing: “Be strong, little one . Winter is gone. Be brave, little one . Together we’re strong!”  \nQingqiwe, her grandfather, raised horses. His favourite was Shishi, a glossy black mare . As soon as Ntsiki was old enough, he hoisted heron to the saddle in front of him. His strong arms reached around her. He laced the reins through her fingers. He taught her to talk softly to Shishi, to groom her with a hard bristled brush. When she stroked its glossy coat, Albertina whispered, “You are the most beautiful creature . Thank you for letting me  \nride on your back.” Her father, Bonilizwe, came home from the mines at Christmas.  \nNtsiki pulled herself up onto Shishi’s broad back. She rode out to meet him at the bus stop. Ntsiki sat tall and straight. Her knees held firm. She handled the reins with gentle fingers. How proud Bonilizwe was of his daughter. The biggest smile Ntsiki had ever seen covered her father’s face.  \nOn her sixth birthday she went to school. “You must choose an English name,” said the Presbyterian teacher, but Ntsiki liked her own name .“Why do I need a new name?”she asked. The teacher scowled and read the names aloud: “Adah, Agnes, Albertina, Anna.” What did they mean? Ntsiki liked the long name best. Al-ber-ti-na! The name had rhythm. Al-ber-ti-na! The name had bounce. Albertina was a name you didn’t mess with.  \nWhen her cousin married a handsome man from a nearby town, Albertina was chosen as an umkhapi. The maid of honour! Weeks before the wedding, she stitched her isikhakha, the short traditional skirt, and threaded bright beads onto her amatikiti. Her mother gave her the white flag and said, “You have a big job, my blessing.” At the bend in the road Albertina waved the flag, then turned Shishi back, leading everybody from miles around to the ceremony. People would gossip if she made a mistake, but the guests lined the road. They ululated and sang. They threw down flowers for the horse and the girl.","cbCaisMX5g0m7rpK","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaisMX5g0m7rpK","pdf",5775073,2,30,"English","en",105,"# Life in Winter and Birth\n# Growing Up and Family Responsibilities\n# Riding with Shishi\n# Choosing an English Name\n# Community Ceremony as Umkhapi","[{\"question\":\"How does Ma Monikazi protect her baby during the harsh winter?\",\"answer\":\"She sings encouragement under her blanket and holds her belly while coping with sickness and hunger. When the baby is ready, birthing helpers warm the water and support the delivery.\"},{\"question\":\"What responsibilities does Nontsikelelo (Albertina) take on as she grows older?\",\"answer\":\"She helps fold napkins, wash baby clothes, sweep the house, feed the fire, and care for younger siblings. She also learns and teaches songs of bravery and strength.\"},{\"question\":\"Why does Albertina resist choosing an English name at school?\",\"answer\":\"She wants to keep her own name and questions why she must have a new one. After hearing English names and meanings, she prefers the rhythm and bounce of “Albertina.”\"},{\"question\":\"What is Albertina’s role during her cousin’s wedding?\",\"answer\":\"She is chosen as umkhapi, stitching traditional clothing and threading beads. She waves the white flag and leads the way on horseback, guiding guests toward the ceremony.\"}]",1783572422,46,{"code":4,"msg":30,"data":31},"ok",{"site_id":24,"language":23,"slug":32,"title":13,"keywords":33,"description":14,"schema_data":34,"social_meta":89,"head_meta":91,"extra_data":93,"updated_unix":27},"together-were-strong","",{"@graph":35,"@context":88},[36,52,67],{"@type":37,"itemListElement":38},"BreadcrumbList",[39,43,46,49],{"item":40,"name":41,"@type":42,"position":11},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":44,"name":45,"@type":42,"position":20},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",{"item":47,"name":12,"@type":42,"position":48},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/story-novel/",3,{"item":50,"name":13,"@type":42,"position":51},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/together-were-strong/49088/",4,{"url":50,"name":13,"@type":53,"author":54,"headline":13,"publisher":56,"fileFormat":59,"inLanguage":23,"description":14,"dateModified":60,"datePublished":61,"encodingFormat":59,"isAccessibleForFree":62,"interactionStatistic":63},"DigitalDocument",{"name":9,"@type":55},"Person",{"url":40,"name":57,"@type":58},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-07-13","2026-07-09",true,{"@type":64,"interactionType":65,"userInteractionCount":20},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":66},"ViewAction",{"@type":68,"mainEntity":69},"FAQPage",[70,76,80,84],{"name":71,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":73},"How does Ma Monikazi protect her baby during the harsh winter?","Question",{"text":74,"@type":75},"She sings encouragement under her blanket and holds her belly while coping with sickness and hunger. When the baby is ready, birthing helpers warm the water and support the delivery.","Answer",{"name":77,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":78},"What responsibilities does Nontsikelelo (Albertina) take on as she grows older?",{"text":79,"@type":75},"She helps fold napkins, wash baby clothes, sweep the house, feed the fire, and care for younger siblings. She also learns and teaches songs of bravery and strength.",{"name":81,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":82},"Why does Albertina resist choosing an English name at school?",{"text":83,"@type":75},"She wants to keep her own name and questions why she must have a new one. After hearing English names and meanings, she prefers the rhythm and bounce of “Albertina.”",{"name":85,"@type":72,"acceptedAnswer":86},"What is Albertina’s role during her cousin’s wedding?",{"text":87,"@type":75},"She is chosen as umkhapi, stitching traditional clothing and threading beads. 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