- yesterday
In this emotional African tale, a proud city girl abandons her children and vanishes — but her choices cannot bury a father’s courage. From dusty village roads to foreign lecture halls, Juma and Zina grow up under the calloused hands of their father Nuru, who sacrifices everything so they can dream big. Watch how these determined twins carry love, hard work, and forgiveness in their hearts — but not for the one who left. This true African story will touch your soul with lessons of sacrifice, pride, and the cost of choices that cannot be undone.
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@TheTrueAfricanTales
🌟 Dive into African magic!
Follow *TheNativeAfricanTales* on Dailymotion for captivating stories & rich culture.
👉 https://www.dailymotion.com/user/TheNativeAfricanTales
🌍 Love stories with deep meaning and cultural roots?
Check out *The Native African Tales* – a channel bringing timeless African stories to life!
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/@TheNativeAfricanTales
Would love your support – watch, enjoy, and subscribe! ✨
*Follow now!* 🚀
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Short filmTranscript
00:00In a bustling city named Yumoro, there was a young woman called Zuri.
00:04She was strikingly attractive.
00:06Her skin glowed like polished bronze in daylight.
00:09Her face reflected light like clear water.
00:11Her fingernails were always perfectly long and painted as red as juicy berries.
00:16Her hair was ever fresh, smooth, and flowing down her back.
00:20Zuri didn't simply walk through the streets.
00:23She commanded them.
00:24When she passed by, heads would swivel.
00:26Young men's jaws would drop.
00:28Other women would nudge each other, mutter under their breath, and roll their eyes.
00:32People gave her many nicknames.
00:34Some whispered, that's Queen Zuri.
00:37Others labeled her the empress of the night.
00:39And why?
00:40Because Zuri adored the camera more than anything else in life.
00:44She flaunted her long legs in short dresses, snapping endless selfies of her face, her hips, her shoes, her steps, uploading them daily on Instagram and TikTok.
00:54At night, she slipped on high heels that clicked like claws on the pavement and danced under strobe lights until dawn.
01:00The speakers thumped so loud they made the walls tremble.
01:03But Zuri was always there.
01:05She would boast without shame.
01:07I wasn't born to suffer like village girls.
01:10I was born to live soft.
01:11She detested going to the market.
01:14She refused to cook.
01:15She never cleaned.
01:17And she never bothered with any job.
01:19Her dream was simple.
01:20Pose, post, party, and glow forever.
01:23Zuri often declared, I will never marry a broke man.
01:27I will never tie a baby to my back.
01:29Babies ruin your figure.
01:31Marriage traps you like chains.
01:33That life is not for me.
01:34She laughed at her old schoolmates who now had children and husbands.
01:38Look at them all.
01:39Fat, always wearing old wrappers and headscarves.
01:43They've become aunties.
01:44That will never be me, she would say with her chin lifted high.
01:47Her voice cut through crowds.
01:49Her laughter was sharp as a blade.
01:51And her pride towered higher than any building in Yumoro.
01:54But deep inside her shining world, a storm was brewing.
01:58She didn't see it yet.
01:59No one did.
02:00But soon, the empress of the night would meet a battle she couldn't win with beauty alone.
02:05Zuri always spoke her mind loudly.
02:07No matter who was listening, she would sit in fancy lounges with her friends and boast.
02:12Having babies locks you in a cage.
02:14You'll be stuck and never sore again.
02:16And marriage.
02:17It's just a rope around your waist and your dreams.
02:20Her friends sometimes giggled, sometimes stared.
02:23But Zuri didn't care.
02:25She'd scoff at old classmates, now busy with toddlers strapped to their backs.
02:29Look at them, she'd sneer.
02:31Once they were slay queens too.
02:33Now they smell like baby milk and sweat.
02:36To Zuri becoming a wife or mother was like being thrown into prison.
02:40But once, in a twist she never planned, Zuri actually gave marriage a try.
02:45She met a man named Kobe, a man dripping in wealth.
02:48His car gleamed jet black like wet tar at night.
02:51His house had giant iron gates that opened with a soft hum.
02:55His shirts smelled of expensive cologne.
02:57Kobe adored Zuri, as if she was the only star left in the sky.
03:02He spoiled her with gifts, fancy clothes, and would kneel to beg if she was annoyed.
03:06Zuri thought, this one is different.
03:09He worships the ground I walk on.
03:11So she agreed to marry him.
03:13For a while, her smile glowed online, filled with photos of roses, rich meals, and flights to far-off places.
03:20But one quiet evening, while they sat across from each other at their long glass dining table, something changed.
03:27They were eating in silence when Kobe looked up and spoke softly.
03:31My love, when do you think we should have kids?
03:34Zuri froze mid-bike.
03:35She slowly set her spoon down, dabbed her lips with a napkin, then stared directly at him.
03:41Never, she said calmly.
03:42I don't want children.
03:44Not now, not ever.
03:46Kobe blinked, trying to smile, but his lips barely moved.
03:50The next day, he spoke less than usual.
03:52The week after, he stopped laughing at her jokes.
03:55Then, on a stormy night filled with booming thunder and wild wind, Kobe did what Zuri never expected.
04:02He threw open the door, tossed her expensive clothes out into the rain, and pointed at her, with eyes cold as stone.
04:08Leave.
04:09I don't want a wife who hates children.
04:11Go pose for your camera in the streets, he snapped.
04:14Zuri stood drenched in the rain, her makeup running like spilled paint.
04:18She wept, but only for a moment.
04:20She wiped her face and whispered to herself,
04:23No babies.
04:24Never.
04:25Zuri's heart turned harder that night.
04:27Her voice grew sharper, too.
04:29She kept her promise to herself.
04:31No children, no matter what.
04:33She got married again, to another rich man, then another, and another after that.
04:38Five different husbands in total, each promising her the world.
04:42Each time, the same sweet start.
04:44Roses, perfumes, big weddings, and whispered dreams.
04:48But the moment any man brought up babies, Zuri's eyes would narrow.
04:52She would stand tall, fold her arms, and declare,
04:55I'm not your baby machine.
04:57Find someone else if you want children.
04:59And just like that, one by one, they packed her bags and showed her the door.
05:04But Zuri didn't shed a tear.
05:05She still slipped into her short dresses and stiletto heels.
05:09She still danced under club lights.
05:11Till sunrise, she still flooded Instagram with photos of her glowing skin, perfect nails, and bold smile.
05:18She told herself, I'm free, I'm untouched, I will forever be fresh.
05:23But life had a twist waiting for Zuri.
05:25One her beauty and pride could never block.
05:28Five marriages, five shiny rings, five sweet beginnings, all ending like a song that stopped halfway.
05:34Each time, the moment the talk of children came up, Zuri would lift her chin and laugh.
05:39Children, for what?
05:41To ruin my shape, to chain my freedom, not me.
05:44So the love always faded, the men always walked away, and Zuri always returned to her mirrors, her makeup bag, and her loyal phone camera.
05:53She told herself she had everything she needed.
05:56One hot afternoon, though, while strolling past a dusty construction site, life threw her a surprise.
06:02Hello, fine lady, a gentle voice called out.
06:06Zuri turned, expecting another rich admirer with gold watches and shiny cars.
06:10But instead, she saw a man in an old shirt and faded jeans.
06:14His hands were rough, covered in cement.
06:16His face was sunburnt, but his smile was soft.
06:20His name was Nuru.
06:21He was a bricklayer.
06:22No big house.
06:23No fancy cologne.
06:24Just strong hands and a quiet heart.
06:27He looked at her and said, Zuri, I don't have money, but I like you.
06:30I want to marry you.
06:32Zuri stared at Nuru like he was a joke from the sky.
06:35She lifted her manicured hand, glanced at her glossy nails, then looked him up and down.
06:40She laughed lightly.
06:41You marry me.
06:42Fine, but listen well.
06:44Don't ever dream about babies.
06:46Don't whisper about them.
06:48I don't want them.
06:49Not today.
06:50Not ever.
06:51Nuru nodded, without a fight.
06:53His smile stayed gentle.
06:55No problem, Zuri.
06:56I just want you.
06:57That's enough for me.
06:59Zuri smiled too.
07:00Not because she felt love blooming, but because she thought,
07:03At least this one is simple.
07:05No drama.
07:06No baby talks.
07:07No stress.
07:08Sosha moved into Nuru's small, tidy room, behind a half-built house.
07:13There was no big wedding.
07:14No camera crew.
07:15No sparkling lights.
07:17Only quiet days and slow nights.
07:19For a while, they cooked together, laughed about little things,
07:23and held hands as they walked down dusty streets.
07:26But Zuri never stopped painting her nails bright red.
07:28She still danced for her phone.
07:30She still reminded herself, no children.
07:34Never.
07:34But deep inside her body, something tiny had begun to grow.
07:38Something she never wanted, never planned for, and could never post away.
07:43One early morning, Zuri woke up feeling strange.
07:46Her stomach turned like old water.
07:48She rushed to the small bathroom and threw up until her knees felt weak.
07:52She washed her face and told herself it was just bad food, or maybe malaria.
07:56But the sickness came back the next day, and the next.
08:00Her head pounded like a drum.
08:01Her skin looked dull.
08:03Her body felt heavy.
08:04Finally, she dragged herself to the nearest clinic.
08:08The nurse checked her pulse, pressed her belly, then called a doctor.
08:12The doctor stared at the test results, and then looked at Zuri with careful eyes.
08:16Madam, congratulations.
08:19You are pregnant.
08:20The room fell silent.
08:22Zuri stood up so quickly, the chair nearly fell.
08:25Pregnant.
08:26God forbid, she shouted.
08:27Her voice echoed through the small hospital hall.
08:30Remove it now.
08:31I don't want it.
08:33The doctor shook his head slowly.
08:35I'm sorry, madam.
08:36It's too late.
08:37The baby has grown too much.
08:39If we remove it now, you could die.
08:42You have to carry it.
08:43Zuri's hands trembled.
08:44She stared at the white wall, at the floor, at her flat stomach that no longer felt empty.
08:50No, this can't be happening, she whispered.
08:53Zuri left the hospital with her mind spinning.
08:55The days turned into weeks, then months.
08:58Her belly rose slowly, like a balloon she couldn't hide or pop.
09:02Every morning felt heavier than the last.
09:05She hated the weight pulling her down.
09:07She hated the stretch marks crawling across her once-perfect skin.
09:10She hated that she couldn't wear her short dresses or dance at clubs.
09:14Nuru tried his best to help.
09:16He brought her food.
09:17He held her hair when she felt sick.
09:19He whispered.
09:20It's okay, Zuri.
09:21We'll be fine.
09:22But she never answered.
09:23She just stared out the small window, dreaming of the life she was losing.
09:28When the pain came, it came like a storm at midnight.
09:31Zuri screamed until the neighbors banged on the door.
09:34Nuru rushed her to the local hospital under a dark sky full of thunder.
09:39Hours later, her cries turned to silence, and two small voices replaced them.
09:44Twins, a boy, and a girl.
09:46The nurse wrapped them in soft cloths and placed them beside her.
09:49Double blessing, Mama, the nurse said with a warm smile.
09:53But Zuri did not smile.
09:54She looked at the babies and whispered their names like secrets.
09:58Juma, Zina.
09:59Then, she turned her face to the wall as tears slid down her cheeks.
10:03Not sweet tears, but tears of fear for a life she never wanted.
10:07Everything changed the day Juma and Zina arrived.
10:10The small house that once felt calm now roared with endless cries.
10:14Morning cries.
10:15Midnight cries.
10:16Hunger cries.
10:17Zuri could not rest her head without one tiny mouth demanding milk or warmth.
10:21Baby clothes piled up, dirty and wet.
10:24Bottles needed washing every hour.
10:27Pampers finished faster than money came in.
10:29Her fine mirror gathered dust.
10:31Her makeup bag stayed zipped.
10:33Her high heels hid in a box under the bed.
10:36Like a dream locked away.
10:37Did all he could.
10:39He rocked Juma to sleep while feeding Zina.
10:41He stayed awake at night mixing pap with tired hands.
10:44But Zuri's eyes lost their spark.
10:46Her laughter vanished.
10:47Her voice became sharp and cold dot when her old friends saw her new photos online.
10:53No, filter.
10:54No parties.
10:55No perfect hair.
10:56They laughed behind their screens.
10:58Some messaged her with poison.
11:00Slay queen turned housemaid.
11:01Others posted old photos of her in shiny dresses.
11:04Writing captions like look how life humbles even the boldest.
11:08Zuri saw everything.
11:09She read every word.
11:11And every word cut her pride deeper.
11:14Like a knife slicing silk.
11:15Night after night.
11:16She sat on the edge of the bed.
11:18Staring at the babies she never wanted.
11:20And the man who still tried to hold the pieces together.
11:23One quiet night.
11:24While rain tapped on the rusty roof and the twins cried in turns.
11:28Zuri's heart cracked open.
11:30She sat on the bed's edge.
11:32Her eyes red and swollen.
11:34Neru tried to hush the babies.
11:36Mixing hot pap with shaky hands.
11:38The small room felt too tight for all their troubles.
11:41Suddenly, Zuri's voice broke the soft crying.
11:44Neru, she said sharply.
11:45I can't do this.
11:47I told you from the start.
11:48No babies.
11:49No house chores.
11:50No prison life.
11:51Look at me now.
11:52Look at what I've become.
11:53Neru turned slowly, holding Juma against his chest.
11:57He didn't speak.
11:58He just looked at Zuri with eyes that begged for her to stay.
12:02But deep in his heart, he already felt what was coming.
12:05Zuri's breathing grew heavy.
12:07She grabbed her old handbag.
12:08Threw in a few clothes.
12:10Some powder.
12:11Her old phone.
12:12She looked at the twins, one asleep, the other whining.
12:16She didn't reach out to touch them.
12:18She didn't kiss their cheeks.
12:19She didn't say goodbye.
12:20The next morning, the sky was gray like morning cloth.
12:24Neru woke up before dawn.
12:26He reached for Zuri's side of the bed.
12:27Empty.
12:28He called her name softly.
12:30Zuri.
12:30No answer.
12:31He checked the bathroom.
12:32Empty.
12:33The kitchen empty.
12:34Then his eyes landed on the old table.
12:37A folded note.
12:38Still and silent like a final whisper.
12:40Neru picked up the note with trembling hands.
12:43His eyes raced over the few words written in Zuri's sharp, hurried handwriting.
12:47I can't live this life.
12:49Take care of your children.
12:50Don't look for me.
12:52The note slipped from his fingers and floated to the dusty floor.
12:55Juma started crying again.
12:57Little Zina followed with soft, hungry whimpers.
13:00Neru wiped his face with the back of his hand.
13:02There was no time to break down.
13:05There was no space to ask why.
13:07He scooped both babies into his arms.
13:09He rocked them slowly, whispering, I'm here.
13:12Daddy's here.
13:14Don't cry.
13:15His voice cracked, but his hands stayed steady.
13:18The sun rose outside, shining through the torn curtain, warm but indifferent.
13:23That morning, and every morning after, Neru became mother and father.
13:27He tied Zina to his back with an old wrapper.
13:29He balanced Juma in his left arm while his right stirred hot pap over a small coal fire.
13:36He changed nappies, washed tiny clothes, hummed lullabies between sighs.
13:40He carried them to a small daycare nearby so he could work, laying every coin he earned at the caretaker's feet.
13:47He mixed cement, carried blocks, and scraped together every naira just to buy milk, soap, and hope for two children who would never know their mother's warm hand.
13:56Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.
13:59Every day, Neru woke before dawn.
14:02He bathed Juma and Zina with gentle hands, dressed them in clean second-hand clothes, and kissed their foreheads.
14:09He carried them to the small daycare run by Mama Binta, an old woman with a kind face, but many bills to pay.
14:15At first, Mama Binta accepted the twins gladly.
14:19She rocked them when they cried.
14:21She fed them soft pap when Neru worked late.
14:23She called them my grandchildren and watched over them like a hen with chicks.
14:27But Neru's money never stretched far enough.
14:30One morning, as he stood at the daycare, gate with Juma, half asleep on his shoulder, and Zina chewing her finger, Mama Binta sighed and said,
14:38Neru, I'm sorry, you owe me for one month now.
14:41This place is not a charity, my son.
14:44Neru's eyes pleaded with her.
14:46His voice shook.
14:47Mama Binta, please, give me two more weeks.
14:50I'll pay everything.
14:51I promise.
14:52But Mama Binta shook her head, soft but firm.
14:55I wish I could help more, but I can't feed them.
14:58And my own grandchildren, too.
15:00So that morning, Neru did not drop them off.
15:03He turned away from the gate, his heart sinking like a stone.
15:06He carried his children back through the dusty street, past staring eyes and whispering lips,
15:12wondering how he would mix cement with two babies in his arms, and no one left to help him carry their world.
15:19That same day, with the sun rising like fire over the rooftops,
15:23Neru walked back to the building site with Juma sleeping on his chest and Zina clutching his shirt.
15:28He found a big mango tree near the edge of the dusty yard.
15:31He spread an old wrapper under its shade and laid the twins down gently, whispering,
15:36Stay here, my darlings.
15:38Daddy is working, but Daddy is watching.
15:40He placed a bottle of water beside them, gave them a few soft toys Mama Binta once gifted,
15:46and kissed their tiny hands.
15:48Then he stood up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and grabbed his shovel.
15:52He mixed cement, carried blocks, and stacked bricks under the burning sun,
15:57but his eyes never left the shade of that mango tree.
16:00Every ten minutes he paused, wiping his hands on his shirt, running back to check if the sun had shifted.
16:06When the heat crept close, he would lift the babies one by one and move them deeper into the cool shadow.
16:12If they cried, he would fan them with folded paper or dribble cool water on their soft faces.
16:18Other workers glanced at him, some with pity, some with mockery.
16:21One muttered, a man and his children like luggage.
16:24Another laughed, where is their mother?
16:27But Nieru did not answer.
16:28He only worked harder, his rough hands mixing mortar by day and cradling dreams by night.
16:34Some days were gentle.
16:35The breeze under the mango tree was soft, the babies slept long, and Nieru could work without hearing tiny cries.
16:41But most days were not gentle at all.
16:44Sometimes the sun rose higher and hotter than before, burning his children's soft skin.
16:48If he did not run fast enough to move them, sometimes Juma coughed all night or Zina's tiny body burned with fever.
16:55Nieru would cradle them in his calloused arms, humming old songs his own mother once sang to him, praying the fever would break by dawn.
17:04When the sight closed, he would knock on doors in the neighborhood.
17:07He begged the old woman who sold Puff Puff by the road, Mama Naini, please watch them for an hour.
17:13Sometimes she agreed, tying Zina to her back while Juma sucked cold pap from a spoon.
17:18Other times she said, not today, my son.
17:21I have no strength.
17:23Once, he carried them to an old grandmother named Madame Koikoi, who lived behind a broken fence.
17:29She called them my little chiefs.
17:31She told them folktales as she rocked them on her tired knees, whispering, sleep, sleep, your father is coming soon.
17:38No matter how heavy this guy felt, Nieru never stopped mixing cement.
17:43He carried blocks with blistered hands by day and mixed baby pap by moonlight.
17:47He slept sitting up against the wall, one child on his chest.
17:51The other curled on his lap, a bricklayer by trade.
17:54But a fortress at heart, days melted into months, and the babies began to grow like small trees stretching toward the sun.
18:01Tube legs became strong enough to stand.
18:04Zina's tiny fingers learned to hold spoons and feed herself porridge, though most of it landed on her clothes.
18:10Despite his blisters and aching back, Nieru's eyes shone whenever he watched them.
18:15Every night, after bathing them in a small plastic basin and rubbing their dry skin with shea butter, he would whisper promises to the ceiling.
18:23One day, you too will wear school uniforms.
18:27One day, you will carry books, not bricks.
18:30To keep this dream alive, he saved coins in an old Milo tin under his thin mattress.
18:35Each day, he dropped a handful of sweaty Naira notes inside.
18:39Money meant for pampers, pap, or soap.
18:42But always with hope that one day it would pay for school fees instead.
18:46By the time Juma and Zina turned six, Nieru felt his chest swell with pride when he looked at them.
18:52Juma liked to count everything.
18:53Fingers, stones, even goats, passing by the streets.
18:57Zina sat cross-legged in the dust, tracing letters in the sand with a stick, calling out, A, B, C, to herself.
19:05One cool morning, Nieru held both their hands and said,
19:08Today, we start a new journey.
19:10He washed their faces, brushed their hair, and walked them down the dusty road to the small yellow school near the market square.
19:18A place he had passed so many times, always wishing, always praying, when they reached the school gate.
19:25The sun was soft on their backs, and children's laughter filled the dusty air.
19:29Nieru stood in front of the headmistress, an older woman with round glasses and a voice like warm pap.
19:35She looked down at Juma and Zina.
19:37Their clothes were clean but old, their shoes mismatched but polished on N.U.R.
19:42You cleared his throat, his voice trembling like dry leaves.
19:46Madam, please, I don't have plenty money, but I will pay bit by bit.
19:50These two are my heart.
19:52Help me give them a chance.
19:53The headmistress adjusted her glasses, studying his rough hands, his tired eyes.
19:58She smiled and said, Bring them tomorrow.
20:01We will start small.
20:02We will grow together.
20:03Nieru almost knelt but she stopped him with a wave of her hands.
20:07That night, he cooked their favorite yam porridge and placed the tin of coins beside his mat.
20:12He whispered, It begins.
20:14My children will see books.
20:16They will see chalk.
20:17They will write their names.
20:19The next morning, Juma's small eyes danced as he counted other pupils' sandals.
20:24Zina clutched her new slate tight, tracing invisible letters with her finger.
20:29When he left them at the gate, they turned and waved, to Tiny, hands raised high.
20:34Walking back to the site, Nieru felt taller than any house he'd ever built.
20:38His heart felt like fresh cement, wet but strong.
20:41And though his pockets were empty, his dreams had never felt so full.
20:45School quickly became Juma and Zina's second home.
20:48Each morning, Nieru bathed them by the clay basin, combed their hair with careful fingers,
20:54and tied Zina's old ribbon twice so it would not fall off on the way.
20:58He watched them disappear through the iron gate, and felt as if he was sending hope itself into the world.
21:04In class, Juma's hands moved fast on his slate, counting sticks and numbers quicker than his teacher's chalk could write.
21:11Zina's eyes sparkled each time her teacher read a new story.
21:14She would rush home, tug at Nieru's sleeve and say,
21:18Papa, listen, I will read for you.
21:20And she did, stumbling through each word until he clapped.
21:24Evenings were simple, but bright.
21:26The twins sat on the floor under the flickering lantern, their books spread out between bowls of watery okra soup.
21:32They traced numbers, recited letters, and sometimes nodded off with their pencils still in hand.
21:38Weekends were not for resting.
21:40On Saturdays, they followed Nieru to the old shed where he bought trays of fresh bread from an auntie.
21:46Together, they walked street to street.
21:48Soft bread, fresh bread, they called, their voices ringing like bells through the dusty alleys.
21:54People smiled when they saw them, small but polite, counting coins carefully, never cheating a kobo.
22:00Nieru's chest would swell.
22:02To him, every sold loaf was another brick, laid on the road to his children's better life.
22:07Time flowed like a river under the village sun.
22:10Before long, Juma and Zina's voices changed from soft to confident.
22:14They no longer stumbled when reading signboards on their bread rounds.
22:18They read them out loud for fun.
22:20Juma counted every step, every coin, every leftover loaf.
22:24Zina memorized customers' names, greeting them with a shy smile that made people buy an extra piece just to hear her say,
22:31Thank you, sir.
22:32At school, their teachers noticed.
22:34Juma solved sums before the other pupils even finished copying the questions.
22:39Zina's stories made her classmates hush.
22:41Her words painted pictures brighter than the cracked blackboard behind her.
22:45One Saturday evening, after a long day of selling bread,
22:49they sat with Nieru under the mango tree near their small rented room.
22:53The moon was shy, peeking through the branches.
22:55Juma looked up and said,
22:57Papa, one day I will build a big bridge, so people can cross the river without fear.
23:02Zina clapped and added,
23:04And I will become a doctor so nobody in our village will die because there is no hospital.
23:09Nieru said,
23:09Nothing at first.
23:10He just pulled them closer, his rough hands on their shoulders, his eyes wet.
23:15Dream well, my children, he whispered.
23:18Dream far, and I will push you with all my strength.
23:20Under the quiet stars, the three of them sat, the smell of leftover bread still on their clothes.
23:27But inside them was the scent of something richer, hope that no hunger could eat.
23:31Years moved quietly, like wind slipping through the mango leaves.
23:35Juma and Zina finished primary school in clean uniforms that hid their torn pockets.
23:41On the day of their final exams, Nieru stood outside the classroom block,
23:45waiting with worry stitched into his dusty shirt.
23:48When the results came, the headmistress called him into her tiny office.
23:52She pointed at two pieces of paper pinned to the corkboard.
23:55Juma's name was first top in mathematics.
23:58Zina's name shone beside his best in English and health science.
24:01Nieru's legs shook.
24:02He pressed his palms together and bent his head again and again,
24:06mumbling thanks he could not fully say.
24:09That evening, he cooked the last yam in the house, and they ate it with salt and laughter.
24:14Juma tapped his father's shoulder and said,
24:16Papa, you will see, secondary school will not defeat us.
24:20Zina giggled, I will write bigger books.
24:23Papa, you will see.
24:24They started secondary school with the same old bags, patched sandals and hearts full of iron.
24:30The new teachers saw it too.
24:31Juma's math's answers filled the board faster than the chalk could scratch.
24:36Zina's essays made her teacher say,
24:38You write like a grown woman, child.
24:40Where do these stories come from?
24:42At night, the twins sat under the same mango tree with lantern lights, dancing on their notes.
24:48Even when rain came hard and wind howled, they read on, side by side, stubborn as roots in dry soil.
24:56And Nieru, he watched them through the window, the candle flame shaking, his hands hard with cement,
25:01but his dreams softer than ever, believing that maybe, just maybe, these children would break the rope that had tied him to poverty all his life.
25:09As the months rolled on, Juma and Zina turned their hard days into something bright.
25:14On weekdays, they walked to school with shoes that whispered on the dusty road, their shoulders brushing, their books hugged tight.
25:21At break, when other students ran and shouted, they sat under the old guava tree, Juma scribbling numbers while Zina read paragraphs out loud.
25:30When the bell rang for the last lesson, they were the first to stand, eager to rush home, not to rest.
25:37But to help Nieru, they fetched water from the community borehole, balanced yellow jerrycans on small heads without spilling a drop.
25:44They swept their small yard, washed the bread trays, and when the sun dipped low, they counted coins from the bread sales together.
25:52Saturdays, stayed busy.
25:53The twins changed from uniform to faded shorts and dresses, lifted the fresh bread trays, and walked street to street with voices clear and sweet as ever.
26:03Soft bread, fresh bread.
26:05People waved from shops, children chased after them for leftover crumbs.
26:09Sometimes old men stopped them just to ask, whose children are these?
26:13So mannered.
26:14At night, they circled back under the mango tree, candles flickering as insects buzzed.
26:20Their father, tired from a day of hauling bricks, sat near them, nodding off but keeping one ear open to hear their recitations.
26:27He would jolt awake when Zina squealed, Papa, listen.
26:31Juma solved this big sum or when Juma grinned and said, Zina wrote a new story today.
26:36Nieru never complained.
26:38The ache in his bones felt lighter when he saw his twins fight for a future with nothing but books.
26:43Bread, and stubborn hearts.
26:45Time folded itself into years.
26:47And soon, Juma and Zina were no longer the shy new faces in their secondary school.
26:52Their names rested on teachers' tongues like sweet pepper.
26:56Juma's math scores broke old records.
26:58He answered equations.
26:59Even his teacher paused to check twice.
27:02Zina's essays were read out loud in class, each word flowing like water from an old well.
27:07When the final year arrived, the whole compound seemed to hold its breath.
27:11Nieru sold extra bread, carried double loads at the site, and fixed broken blocks.
27:16For a small fee, anything to buy new exercise books.
27:19For the twins, he sat by the window each night counting coins by candlelight, whispering to himself,
27:25They must finish.
27:27They must.
27:28At school, other students noticed you.
27:30Some called them bookworms.
27:32Some teased.
27:33But Juma and Zina never minded.
27:35They sat apart under the guava tree while classmates giggled about dances and parties.
27:39They traded pages, each other, corrected each other's notes.
27:43On the last day of final exams, Nieru stood at the gate like a tall tree.
27:48When the bell rang and the twins poured out with the other students, he stretched out both arms.
27:54Juma dropped his bag.
27:55Zina ran into his side, and he pressed their heads close, his rough hands trembling on their shoulders.
28:01That evening, they shared roasted maize by the roadside, the three of them sitting on an old bench.
28:06Zina laughed as she wiped ash off Juma's nose.
28:09Juma poked her cheek, saying, Madam Doctor.
28:12She shot back.
28:13Engineer Nieru only smiled, looking at the road ahead, hoping the winds would carry them far, far from dust and hard hands and empty pockets.
28:22When the exam results were announced, the entire school compound buzzed like a stirred beehive.
28:27Students ran from board to board, eyes wide, fingers tracing names and scores.
28:32At the far end, under the big notice board nailed to the wall, Juma and Zina stood side by side.
28:38Their hearts beat so loud they felt it in their ears.
28:41Juma found his name first, first position in the entire school for mathematics and physics.
28:47His lips parted, but no words came.
28:50Zina squeezed his hand, then found hers.
28:52Second overall, best in biology and English.
28:56She pressed her palm over her mouth to stop the squealed dot before they could turn.
29:00Hands clapped their backs.
29:02Teachers gathered around them.
29:04Some lifted Juma's hand like he was a champion boxer.
29:07Others hugged Zina tight, praising her neat writing and calm voice.
29:12The principal came forward, glasses low on his nose, voice carrying across the excited crowd.
29:17These children are special.
29:19They are proof that you don't need riches to shine bright.
29:22When Nero heard, he came running, breathless, dust on his shirt.
29:26He found them in the staff room, where the teachers were serving soda and biscuits in their honor.
29:31He paused at the door, big man in a small doorway, tears already waiting.
29:36Zina rose first.
29:38She held out her exam slip like a trophy.
29:40Juma stood behind her, a grin spreading on his thin face.
29:45Nero pulled them both in, his broad arms folding around their shoulders.
29:48His voice cracked as he said only one word, thank you.
29:52The village talked about the twins for weeks.
29:54Mothers pointed them out when they passed by.
29:57Those are Nero's children.
29:59The boy who fixes numbers and the girl who writes stories.
30:02Even the old men who once mocked Nero now nodded when he walked past, greeting him with respect in their voices.
30:09One afternoon, the headmaster himself came to their small house.
30:12He brought an important man in a fine suit, smelling of car perfume and promise.
30:17They sat on the only wooden bench, Nero owned.
30:21The man spoke gently but firmly.
30:23Your children have done well.
30:25The government wants to help.
30:26They will study at the university, all paid for.
30:29Not here.
30:30Abroad.
30:31Nero held his breath.
30:32Juma and Zina sat on either side of him.
30:35Wide-eyed.
30:36The words abroad sounded like a magic drum in their ears.
30:39He wanted to ask how, why, if it was true but his voice refused to come out.
30:44The man smiled kindly, took out two brown envelopes and handed them over.
30:48Inside were documents, letters of scholarship, stamps, promises of flights and dreams.
30:54Juma blinked at his sister.
30:56Zina squeezed his hand.
30:57When the men left, Nero placed both envelopes on the small table.
31:01He touched them with fingers rough from cement and whispered,
31:04Your wings are ready.
31:06Fly far, my children.
31:07That night they could not sleep.
31:09Juma stared at the stars through the window, counting them like his numbers.
31:13Zina sat on the floor, writing her thoughts in a torn notebook, every word a seed of hope.
31:18When the day finally came for them to leave, the entire village gathered at the dusty bus
31:23stop to say goodbye.
31:24Women wrapped in bright cloths clapped, and ululated small children peeked from behind
31:29their mothers, watching the twins with shy eyes.
31:31Juma wore a borrowed jacket, too big on his slim shoulders.
31:36Zina's hair was braided neatly, her small suitcase tied with a faded scarf.
31:40Nero stood close to them, one hand on Juma's shoulder, the other on Zina's back.
31:45He spoke slowly, like tasting every word.
31:48Out there, remember who you are.
31:50Remember, this place, this tree, this dust, this love.
31:54Zina nodded, eyes shining.
31:56Juma swallowed hard, pressing his lips together to stop them from trembling.
32:01When the bus hissed to a stop, people stepped back.
32:04The twins climbed in, waving through the open windows.
32:07Nero ran alongside the moving bus for a few seconds, panting.
32:11But smiling wide, his arm raised high until he could not run anymore.
32:15He stood in the road, watching until the dust covered the back of the bus, until the noise
32:20faded into the wind.
32:22That night, Nero sat outside his small house, alone.
32:25He looked at the sky, where a plane would soon carry his children across oceans.
32:30He whispered to the stars, grow well, fly high, and come home strong.
32:34And inside that whispered prayer, the spirit of a father's sacrifice glowed like a hidden
32:40flame.
32:40Years passed like flowing water.
32:43In the cold air of a foreign land, Juma bent over his books late into the night.
32:48He solved numbers that others called impossible.
32:50Building bridges in his mind long before they rose from the ground.
32:54Zena wore a white lab coat every day, her eyes sharp and kind as she studied to heal
32:59bones and blood.
33:00Sometimes they ate bread alone in small rooms.
33:03Sometimes they cried silent tears for home.
33:06But they never stopped.
33:07When graduation day came, both stood under a flag they had once only seen in books.
33:12Cameras flashed.
33:14Strangers clapped.
33:15But in their hearts, they heard only one soft voice.
33:18Grow well.
33:20Fly high.
33:21Come home strong.
33:22When they returned to their village, the dust was still the same.
33:25But Juma carried plans for new roads and safe bridges.
33:29Zena brought her knowledge to cure the sick and comfort mothers.
33:32They built a small clinic beside the same mango tree where they once sold bread.
33:37They fixed the cracked road that had carried their bus away so long ago.
33:40One evening, as the sun dipped low, a shadow appeared at their gate.
33:45Older now, broken slippers, eyes hollow with regret.
33:48The woman who once walked away now whispered,
33:51Please, can I see my children?
33:53Zena looked at Juma.
33:54Juma looked at Nuru who now stood strong, behind them like a rooted tree.
33:58Gently but firmly, they closed the gate.
34:01Some goodbyes do not open again.
34:03I hope this tale touched your heart.
34:05If it did, please show your love by liking the video, sharing what you discovered in the comments,
34:10and subscribing for more magical stories yet to come.
34:13Thank you for joining us on this journey.
34:16And until next time, may your own story grow bold, bright, and beautifully yours.
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