She was graduating as the best student in her university and she was dyslexic.

As if that was not ironic enough, she had grown up in a core village and therefore attended the public primary school in her village with its dilapidated building and substandard teachers. Her only parent had been her old grandmother, after the death of her biological parents.

What a contradiction! At least for many people, she knew it was, but not Ahava. She couldn’t blame them though, she had once been like that. She had been sure nothing good was going to come out of her when she had found out about her situation.

Initially, she had thought she was just a dullard and many people had excused her for the first few years. Any five year-old who was suddenly whisked from a familiar environment to an unfamiliar one was bound to have a little issue acclimating. But it had soon been clear that her problem was beyond adapting to her new situation and as expected, many of the teachers had concluded she was beyond redemption.

Of course, because of their payday every month, they had had to tolerate her. Apparently, it had seemed like their idea of tolerance was to ignore her. Not that she had minded much, she had preferred that to constantly asking her to answer questions in class and having to endure the mockery of her colleagues.

Then Uncle Ben had moved to the village. He was the last son of mama’s best friend, who had just graduated from secondary school.

As though some angel had been smiling down on her, Uncle Ben had taken to her and discovered very quickly that she had dyslexia. He had told her about her problem; she had just been eight then. How was an eight year old child expected to understand that she had a limitation?

Uncle Ben had, however believed she had to know. He had then taken it upon himself to teach her, especially as he stayed back in the village to be a teacher.

That marked a new beginning of freedom from failure in her life.

The dullard became the brilliant girl!

The mocked became the celebrated!

Who could have thought that of Ahava, especially when they were all so sure it was just for a season?

But it continued consistently, till she graduated the best student in her university. It was chance, quite alright, that someone took on her.

Sometimes, it only takes one person to believe in you and one chance to believe in yourself.