Hope

A dream deferred leads to a life of leadership and success

Olefile Masangane has achieved what he thought would be impossible.

She has no regrets about her past despite a childhood filled with abuse and trauma.

I did not think of it as prostitution

Growing up, Hilda’s family struggled financially, but when she fell pregnant in high school, things became harder. After dropping out of school, she decided to become a sex worker to provide for her family.

I hope to invest in myself

Thabo Mashapa has had to fight to get an education, and although he has not received a ‘conventional’ education, he is gaining knowledge in other valuable ways.

Depression made me feel weak

When Anela’s depression became more severe, she thought that suicide was the only option. She recounts the story of how it brought her to a halt, and how, eventually, she survived.

I was abandoned at birth

From the time he was abandoned at birth, to when he eventually found his family, Innocent has struggled with belonging and identity.

I took his shame and made it my identity

The sexual abuse Connie endured while her family lived in a squatter camp was the beginning of a tough road that would include anorexia, drugs, abuse, infidelity, prostitution and her daughter’s suicide. Against all odds, Connie triumphed.

What's Your Story - Church