When I was young I prayed for strength, I needed to be strong to face life. I needed to be ready to improve the situation at home, but again there where incidents that kept on occurring. I was never the person who took what was not mine and made it his own. I avoided drama so much because I valued happiness. But again I had the strength that I prayed for. I started to be everyone’s favourite but I wasn’t surprised because that’s how people are; they will love and use you as long it benefits them.

Time was passing by and the only worry I had was going back to school. But again I felt like I was pressuring myself and this time I was going to afford to pay my fees. Everyone always praised and asked how I managed getting my life in control. I wished I could share but I couldn’t because people tended to be opinionated about lives of others, especially the ones they do nothing for. Even if they thought I got everything under control I was never going to fall for that. I always knew what I wanted so I was going to follow my dreams and fulfil my heart’s desires. People who settle for less never want to challenge themselves.

When you are determined or goal-orientated, you don’t need or wait for something to happen, you make things happen.

Giving back

Giving back always was who I am. I have witnessed so much that I know how it feels to be around people who were coming from good backgrounds and I know how it feels to feel left out. I never wanted to see someone treated badly because of the situation at home. I never wanted to see people who have given up because nothing makes sense in their lives. I chose to be different because I wanted my life to be an inspiration. I know how most of us behave and think we want to do something if we saw that it worked for him/her.

When I joined after school activities at Boys & Girls Club of SA in Pimville as a high school student, I believed that I could change others. I believed I was so influential that I wanted to bring positivity to those who were looking up on me through hard work and dedication. I was hired as a junior staff member after four years, then hired as a programme facilitator not so long after and I was promoted for administration. Years were passing by and the passion was growing in me.

It was no longer about having a stable job but about giving life to someone. It was about bringing hope and restoring goals. The feeling you have when you see someone making it in life, knowing that you played a vital role is priceless. I have learned that you have to love what you do and results will prove how committed you were towards what you were doing.

The love for working for any law enforcing agency faded slowly but surely. Not because I was applying and not getting hired but the time I had invested in these kids I couldn’t trade for anything.

In 2017 I had an opportunity to be part of a KFC campaign named World Hunger Month. We were a team of four from different organizations and our task was to help raise funds by going to different KFC stores, explaining to customers where their two rand donations went to. I really enjoyed being a part of a great initiative.

Preferring to make a difference instead of doing wrong activities says so much about you – it’s a blessing to bless others.

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