Guests : https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/joanie-fredericks
Women have the right to choose their life’s direction. But many are denied
the opportunity to pursue their ambitions. Joanie Fredericks was one of
them. Growing up, her brother’s needs took priority.
She gained her ticket to freedom the day she passed her driving test. . Now
she’s ensuring more women are in the driver’s seat.
Fredericks is an influential member of the Mitchells Plain community. In
2015, she founded NEAD Community Development. The organisation helps
people become self-sufficient by providing opportunities for progress.
Driving is her latest vehicle for upliftment. Last year, she formed Ladies Own
Transport Services, offering driving lessons and mobility to residents in her
area.
From the passenger seat, Fredericks directs the way forward. Her students
are able to tackle their fears and gain confidence – not just on the roads.
Thanks to her, more women are on the fast track to controlling their futures.
https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/athrah-lakay
Behind the boasts of drums, rows of straight-faced schoolchildren stand tall.
This marching squad is in formation and they mean business. For Athrah
Lakay, it’s a place of comfort beneath the tough veneer. In the face of
uncertainty, the routine of the drill helps the 15-year-old pupil gain
confidence in her next step.
Marching bands are well-loved within schools in the Mitchells Plain
community. It’s a celebrated tradition in the Cape Flats, commemorated in
the annual Kaapse Klopse festival. At Spine Road High School, Lakay and her
schoolmates assemble every week to practise. The military-like precision
takes Lakay’s mind off her challenges.
The unified movement has taught Lakay to put teamwork and discipline at
the forefront of her actions.
Lakay is only in Grade 9. But with the spirit of the squad drummed into her
core, she has a bright future ahead. Coming from different backgrounds, her
schoolmates can shake off life’s complexities and focus on being together
when they’re at practice.
https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/vincent-da-silva
The clay horse towers over its creator. A life-sized artwork, it embodies the
natural prowess of the galloping animal. Vincent Da Silva’s sculptures are
testament to his deft handiwork.
Though frozen in time, the statues have a movement to them. Unlike the
smooth marble figures of ancient Greece, Da Silva’s art is cast in bronze and
flecked with blemishes from his tools. With his textural monuments, the
artist reflects a freethinking philosophy.
Throughout his time studying architecture, Da Silva sculpted, opening his
first gallery before he completed his degree. When it came down to choosing
between the two, there was no denying his affinity for sculpture.
Today, Da Silva turns his attention to the formation of human identity
through charcoal drawings and figure sculptures.
https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/michaylah-petersen
Michaylah Petersen is never without her longboard. These wheels are her
freedom. At the age of 15, Petersen was kicked out of home. Her family
refused to accept that she was gay. For two days, Petersen lived on the
streets. With nowhere to go, she ended up in a care home, severely
depressed. It’s been a long journey to self-acceptance. In the course of
getting her life on board, she’s enabling others to get back up.
She first saw the impact of sport while coaching surfing at Waves for
Change, a Laureus Sport for Good programme. Liberated by the adrenaline
rush, Petersen realised she could take it further – with longboarding. Now,
Petersen teaches girls in Lavender Hill how to carve, giving them the
opportunity to move forward and express themselves.
https://www.beautifulnews.co.za/stories/aneesah-seale
Aneesah Seale greets daybreak with a swirl of chocolate sauce. She’s just
opened the first coffee shop in Bonteheuwel, right from her own home. Her
endeavour is notable in a neighbourhood where daily shootings leave people
in fear of stepping out of their houses. . In the midst of terror and desolation,
her café is a sweet refuge.
From the tender age of nine, Seale has been acquainted with the warmth a
kitchen can bring. Her father was a bakery manager and it was with his
encouragement that her dreams began to rise.
She’s been baking for more than two decades now. Last year, Seale
launched a confectionery business from home. But the idea of seeing her
neighbours find comfort over a strong roast kept brewing in her heart.
Today, That Coffee Shop pours countless cups of care. Fresh flowers grace
the tables in Seale’s shabby chic front yard, and every guest is welcomed in
with a smile. Beyond its reputation, Bonteheuwel is now the home of
extraordinary goodness.

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