Cape Town - It’s been 15 years since their ordeal as hostages on the Malaysian island of Sipadan, and the Strydoms feel some good has come from their experience.
Monique and her husband Callie Strydom were among 10 tourists and 11 resort workers who were kidnapped and held hostage for four months in 2000.
Among the other hostages were nine Malaysians, three Germans, two French, two Finns, two Filipinos and one Lebanese who were kidnapped from a diving resort in the Philippines.
They were taken hostage by separatist group Abu Sayyaf and transported nearly 500km to the island.
Deprived of food and water, Monique Strydom said they still managed to make friends with the other hostages and return home to “do some good” after their ordeal.
“It changed the direction our lives went in. It changed my business and made my commitment to help others and that is a direct result of what happened to us and I am a motivational speaker and share the story.”
Monique said she gives talks, sometimes simply sharing her story and other times telling people how they have coped and put it behind them.
She said she still keeps in contact with some of the tourists who were held captive and that was one of the good things that came from the experience.
“One other thing that came from this is my son Luke. He was the best thing, I fell pregnant immediately after we got back.
“I never wanted a child before, but when I thought I’d die I thought I’d come back and have a child.”
Monique was released on this day in 2000 and her husband, a day later.
“Two of the French hostages came to visit us, we share friendships that no one can understand. They are very unique and special friendships, because we all went through the same thing. It’s special people that we never would have met.”
Callie heads up Absa in Beijing while she runs local charity Matla A Bana, an organisation that speaks out against child abuse. She said although some things still take her back to her ordeal, she tries to carry on with her life.
“Fireworks remind me of the military attacks. The military attacks were the worst, we had to run for our lives. If we hear fireworks it takes us back there as well as people speaking loudly and loud bangs.
“We always try to get together with the family. This year because it is the 15-year anniversary we will be going up to George and we will be all together there and spend some time together.”
Cape Argus