Articles – Heartlines

I Thought White People Were More Capable

A young black comrade in the armed struggle and an older white man conscripted to the army during apartheid South Africa find an unexpected point of connection.

My Neighbours Thought I Was A Drug Dealer

Growing up in Congo-Brazzaville, Perez was encouraged to stand in solidarity with South Africans suffering under apartheid. Now living in South Africa Africa, he unfortunately is not seeing this solidarity reciprocated.

I Was Declared Blind at 17

At first glance, there is nothing unusual about Leanne, other than her striking blue eyes. But it is those very eyes that have turned her life from ordinary to extraordinary. Her eyesight started deteriorating when she was 10 – by 17 she was declared clinically blind. Yet her disability has not stopped her from accomplishing remarkable feats.

If I Was Black, It Would Have Been Worse

Despite the tragedy and abuse in his family growing up, Quinton believes life would have turned out far worse, had he been born "black" in apartheid SA.

I Used To Study Maths In The Toilet

Rechelle's exceptional talent for mathematics and her commitment to study and perservere have put Heideveld on the map for all the right reasons.

We got by each day even though we were not rich

Mashudu, a young woman from Limpopo, shares her story of growing up in poverty - yet being able to triumph above her circumstances.

My Attacker Infected Me with HIV

Eleven years ago,Romila Padayachee was attacked and raped on her way home. Aside from the trauma of the initial attack, she later found she was HIV positive.

But how can I save?

An Indian Woman Married To A Black Man

My father was not happy that I was dating a black man and found it extremely challenging to accept my relationship.

"Fleeking" on a budget

Introduce storytelling in your family

Stories have the power to build or break a nation but the strongest stories are those that start at home. Here’s one simple way to introduce the concept of storytelling in your family.

Living With Dyslexia

A lecturer once said to me that if she were my mother she wouldn’t be wasting her money on someone like me.