From a rebellious teenager to a valuable contributor to society, Raffiq Ismail’s journey is a beacon of hope. His story is a testament to the power of personal transformation, inspiring us all to believe in our potential for change.
Raffiq grew up in Chatsworth, a large township in KwaZulu-Natal. He knew only his mother and grandmother, not his dad. He had two brothers with different fathers. At school in the early nineties, he was not sociable but a real bookworm and, therefore, did well in school. Sadly, his life at home was tainted by domestic violence and chaos, so he created his fairytale world to cope. Despite that, he was the first male child in his family to finish school, and as a result, his family had big expectations of him.
He began smoking cigarettes, and it was not long before he smoked dagga. Raffiq told us that because of his upbringing, he lacked the moral compass to know right from wrong. He overdosed on ecstasy the very first time he used it. As awful as this was, the overdose made him realise it would be better to leave his so-called friends. He recalls he was about 18 when he was introduced to heroin (Whoonga): “I could control the highs so that my family did not know I was using drugs and involved in wrong things. Because of the drugs, I started experiencing severe body pains and other health issues.”
By the time Raffiq turned 27, his life was a complete mess! But somehow, he staggered and stumbled through the gates of CYPSA at KwaSizabantu Mission in March 2015. That was the turning point for him. He signed in with CYPSA’s restoration program and attended regular church services where they preached about Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. As he attended the services and listened to the Word of God being preached in truth, God started working in his life. He began confessing his sins, and the burdens he carried on his shoulders rolled away. Not long after that, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour and gave his heart to Him.
He recently completed his Bachelor of Education degree through North-West University, even graduating Cum Laude (with distinction)! With the help of CYPSA and God, Raffiq is living his dreams, and we’re sure there are more incredible things in store for this inspiring young man.
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