In honour of Women’s Month, which is celebrated annually to pay tribute to the 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on August 9, 1956, the SUN sat down with Sharon Swanepoel, 49, is the co-founder of Wanderers Haven. Charity has always been her calling. The Warner Beach resident has always tried to give back to people and animals. If there was someone in need she would take food out of her cupboards to assist them.
“My passion is to help others. I believe that people need love and dignity. People feel unloved and lonely and we need to show people that someone believes in them. Making an impact and reaching out is so important. It’s more than just giving out a food parcel, it has to be done with love. You have to pass on the characteristics that you want to see in others. Teach others kindness with your actions.”
Combining her passion for both cooking and assisting the community, Sharon provides hot meals to those in need daily. She is also committed to changing the lives of sex workers and offers them prayer and assistance.
“My heart is for the women. It is important to teach them that they matter. Some of them have changed for the better, some are off the streets, but others are still struggling. I want them to improve their lives. Most of them are not on the streets because they want to be there, some are addicts and others are trying to make a living for their families.”
Sharon is always willing to lend a sympathetic ear or a shoulder to cry on. Before forming the organisation, she worked as a revenue supervisor at eThekwini Municipality in Winklespruit for 19 years. She was diagnosed with ankylotic spondylitis, which is an inflammatory disease, and was medically boarded off.
“I used to spend thousands on medication and my daughter would even give me injections at home. At 39, I thought my life was over. In 2018, I wanted to change my life and worked hard to overcome my illness with God.”
Sharon’s husband Johnny, share a similar vision to assist those in need and decided to launch Wanderers Haven. The organisation will celebrate its second birthday soon.
“I am surrounded by an amazing group of women who help me help others. I would never be able to do it without them. Johnny goes above and beyond. Without their support, nothing would be possible.”
She hopes to soon complete her bachelor of commerce in accounting. She has two children, Slade and Shayanne and a stepdaughter, Jenika. She recently rescued a cat, Ezra, from a drain that she adopted.
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