Youths seeking direction on their future as well as parents and guardians struggling to find their value in life are advised to look no further than themselves.
“The solution is within you. Follow your dreams, never look back or let any adversity pull you down. Regardless of circumstances, parents should give their children love and teach them discipline and to read. This will expose and encourage them to excel and, use the success gained thereafter, to change the family’s negative circumstances.”
Read: Pensioners project makes a difference in community
These are the wise words of 24-year-old award winning actress Refiloe Pieterse of 13th Avenue who credited her achievements to personal determination and her grandfather’s unwavering support.
“Love, support and hard work are bedrocks that inspire success over any hardship. They made me say ‘I can’ and ‘I will’ and, I was happy from a young age,” she said. She spoke at length about her dream to attain and share her happiness with others in the creative arts and theater sector.
Refiloe joined the corporate sector immediately after excelling in matric. Within two months, she rose to a managerial position over others who had been there for years, a success she attributed to the diligence, positive attitude, love and commitment engendered from home.
Shortly after this, a chance encounter with a theatre event at Thusong Youth Centre, resonated with her heart. She embraced it and used it to propel and share her dream with particularly the youth and woman in a proverbial, man’s world.
“I believe that change starts with self-assured individuals sharing their talents with others, which over time yields incremental results,” Refiloe said referring to the many victims of Alex’s social ills.
She teaches them music and dance and to write and read scripts. “Theatre and women in particular, are a perfect match. It lifts them from misery and despair, releases their pent-up negative emotions and, gives them confidence for self-expression, lightens their security worries, makes them share and learn from each other, restores their hope in life and makes them want to ‘restart’ life again.” Many people use her work as defense against sexual abuse and crime, idleness and hopelessness and others are now accomplished theatre practitioners.
Read: The community of Alex stands to benefit immensely from the creation of the new Alex 100 Mall
Altruism has earned her commendations through many awards, including triple awards for best actress won at the Rotunda Drama and Music festival in the Vaal, provincial rotational festival, Stop Crime and, at the Zabalaza festival at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. This, in addition to home victories in the annual Alex Youth Awards for storytelling in schools and for giving abused girls a second chance away from prostitution, alcohol and drug addiction.
“It’s women’s duty to unite and restore our dignity and respect and, to be role models for others through exemplary acts and conduct,” she concluded.
Details: Refiloe Pieterse 072 345 9975
Share other women and youths’ success stories on the Alex News Facebook page.
