Cape Town - What started off as a journey to recovery for a former Ocean View drug addict has turned into a life-changing mission to help change the lives of troubled youngsters in his community.
Abduraghiem de Klerk, 61, dropped out of school because of drug addiction, but after years of drug use, the father of three turned his life around and has now been clean for 16 years and is a qualified teacher.
“I work at the Ocean View Elsen school as a general foreman. My love for education grew from there and I decided to pursue a diploma in education,” he said.
In 2013, he sharpened his pencils and enrolled to complete his matric, determined to make his family proud of the man he had become.
“I studied for the national diploma in education at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and graduated in December last year. I am so proud of my achievements but not as proud as my family. My two daughters have also decided to go back to school to study teaching and they have said they want to go all the way to doctorate level,” said De Klerk.
Nadia de Klerk, who was a housewife, is now studying towards a diploma in training and development.
“We are so proud of him, we told him that if he can do it at his age, so can we,” she said.
De Klerk’s life had not been easy. He was unemployed for a long time until he began doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood. He did some bricklaying, gardening and any other work he could find before being
appointed school caretaker where he found a passion for teaching in 2010.
“I am applying for positions with the Western Cape Department of Education and I am hopeful that something will come up. I specialise in technology and maths but I do hope to teach trade skills at TVET colleges one day,” he said.
His wife, Sageda, took to social media to share her pride and joy after her husband’s graduation.
“At 61 he has just graduated. He is a qualified educator now, although
he is working as a caretaker at a local school.
“He has formed the Fresh Start Cycling Club in Ocean View. His club has 28 schoolgoing children; hats off for setting an example to these kids and the community that the sky is the limit. He has overcome drugs, he is clean for 16 years now,” she said.
De Klerk and his wife started a cycling club in their area to help young boys steer away from drugs.
“We are doing our bit to keep these kids off the streets and off drugs,” said De Klerk.
Jared Uithaler, 17, who had been part of the cycling team for years, said it was not only fun but helped him focus, and “be disciplined and away from drugs and gangs in the area”.
“This area is rife with gangs and it is very easy for us youngsters to fall prey to the older ones who want to recruit us into the drugs. Once you start with the drugs it is easy to be part of a gang.”