Page 114 - SCAT Rural Voice II - 35 Stories for 35 Years

YOUTH
I GAVE UP GANG LIFE FOR GOD AND
gIVINg BACK TO my COmmUNITy
Sharoleen Morris - Administrator at Step Up. Gladman Maqwara (Paralegal), Sharoleen Morris and Elbre YouthBank participants Tashnine Philander, Jacobs (Coordinator). Rodeniah Philander and Antovinia Philander.
elbre JAcobs
ELBRE jACOBS TURNED AWAY FROM HIS LIFE AS A GANG LEADER AFTER HE SAW HIS FRIEND DIE OF A DRUG OVERDOSE. HE TURNED TO GOD AND DECIDED TO COMMIT HIMSELF TO BEING A VOICE FOR THE VOICELESS THROUGH HIS WORK AS A PARALEGAL AND YOUTH COUNSELLOR AT STEP UP.
In the 1990s just before the bells of freedom rang in our beautiful South Africa, I was a young nine-year-old boy playing in the streets of Worcester with my friends. It was just before sunset and “clock in time” for our parents. A few gangsters passed us. Minutes later a man wearing blue working gear with a black backpack on his back, rode past us on a blue bike. The gangsters robbed and killed the man. We saw it happen but couldn’t do anything because we were afraid. I have never felt so helpless and disappointed in my life. I wanted to help the man so badly but I was powerless. I made a promise to myself that when I became a man I would dedicate my life to help others, especially those who were voiceless. After that incident my life took a real bad turn.
My mother was diagnosed with neck cancer and my father lost his work due to drinking problems. I started using alcohol at an early age and was used by older people to do their dirty work. After my mother died my sister had to take over the role of mother and father. Our only income was from the childcare grant. My mother made me promise her that I would finish school just before she died. Our family lost a lot of things even our house because my father was tricked into signing documents. He didn’t have a full understanding of what he was signing. Because of these struggles at home, I joined a gang and become the leader. We used to use drugs. One night a good friend of mine died because he overdosed on drugs. His parents were asked to come to the hospital and give the doctors permission to turn off the life support machine. Right there the
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RuRal Voice ii: 35 stories for 35 years