Durban - A former prostitute who went by the name “Brazilian coloured”, has written a tell-all autobiography which she hopes will serve as a warning and inspire people to search their souls and change their lives for the better.
The writer, whose real name is Vera Qwesha, has told how she became a drug addict and would sell her body for her next fix.
Today, however, thanks to her faith, the 40-year-old is a new woman and works to rescue people from the grip of substance abuse and sex slavery.
Her autobiography, My Journey: From Grass To Grace, takes readers into a dark world of easy money and deep despair and tells of her brushes with death.
Speaking at her book launch in Durban last week, Qwesha said she intended meeting local prostitutes to help them turn their lives around. After the book launch, she headed to Glenwood, where she spoke to several prostitutes.
Raised in Port Elizabeth, Qwesha travelled to Johannesburg in search of employment, boasting a degree in political science.
undefinedUnable to find a job, she was lured into the world of lucrative escort services and prostitution.
“Clients I met influenced me to use drugs. Once I became hooked, I was on a constant high, but on a downward spiral in life. I advertised on professional escort sites. I would appear topless in the picture and my breasts would drive the men wild. I worked under the named ‘Brazilian coloured’,” Qwesha said.
Paid in pounds and dollars, she lived a lavish lifestyle and did drugs at the same time. But the pressure she was under took its toll and she made three attempts to end her life by overdosing on pills.
“It was a dangerous life. Friends of mine were raped, assaulted and mentally strained. I made close to R10 000 from one client. I would work the entire week and then take a break until the money was finished. I was heading for an early grave,” Qwesha said.
The father of her 18-year-old daughter struck her with a brick, leaving her in a wheelchair for three months. Unable to do anything for herself, she joined a church.
Her life changed after meeting Pastor Tim Omotoso. She said she has been clean for five years.
Now she aims to dedicate her life to helping other women.
She warned others who wanted to take shortcuts in life that the life she led was not as glamorous as it was sometimes portrayed.
The book touches on issues many young women face, including peer pressure and socio-economic difficulties.
Daily News