By Jonk wa Mashamba
news@alexreporter.co.za

Thabile Chauke’s rape story left almost all learners motivated, loved and valued because of the way she told it.

Thabile is not only a hot motivational speaker, she has a unique way to make someone feel important and courageous.

The brave woman, originally from 3rd avenue in Alex, was one of the guest speakers who graced the career day event organized by Esther The Light Foundation in Alex High School.

“Few years ago, there was a young lady here in Alex. She was 16 years old and even used to attend this school. One day it happened that there was a soccer match. And after that soccer match, an old man took advantage of that little girl, raped her and she fell pregnant.

“She was staying with her grandparents. They called the comrades so that she could speak out, and she spoke. Then she conceived a little girl and that little girl is me,” Thabile told learners.

She said she grew up with many obstacles as a child. “I was rejected a lot. I started school at grade 2 because no one bothered to take me to school. I never went to day care center , I never went to grade R. Mind you, academically, I was very slow.

“And while I was staying with my relatives, I was being abused and also being molested. For those who don’t understand molestation, this is when someone older than you—it can be a man or woman— touches you in a private part.

“They make you do funny things, but not having sex with you or penetrating. Growing up as a child, I thought that was ok and that they do that to all the children. I only found out at a later stage when I went to high school that it is not a normal thing.

“As a child, I was very angry and very bitter. When I went to high school, I became the biggest bully. I went to Wendywood High School. There I bullied boys to protect myself and bullied teachers as well. And that was not cool to an extent that they even chased me away from the school. I ended up going to ABET to finish my matric.”

At the age of 14, she started smoking cigarettes. “I found a group of matric girls in the toilet, smoking. And I said to them I want to taste. That’s how I started smoking.

“At the age of 16, I started drinking alcohol. At the age of 18, I started taking drugs. In all of that, there was a whole lot of consequences.

“And many things happened to a point where I even got raped at the age of 18 because of the choices that I made in life…because of the lifestyle that I was living,” she said.

She said it went on and on. But deep down all she wanted was carrying and love. She was angry and bitter as a young girl, and nobody cared about her.

She had also developed a feeling that God didn’t love her and also thought she had no purpose in life. “But at a later stage, I could see my friends from high school doing well.  I asked myself if that was the life that I wanted to live.

“At some point, I had to change. I’m here to tell you black child that it’s possible. No one comes on earth by mistake. It doesn’t matter whether I came by rape or it was a one-night stand or by this and that.

“We are all here and we came for a purpose. Each an everyone here including the teachers and speakers have gifts and talents. There’s no one who is dumb …we are all smart. Our intelligence is not the same and you must always tell yourself that. In life, there no ugly person. We are handsome, beautiful and unique.”

She reminded them to stay away from peer pressure and not do anything because they want to fit in.