Cape Town -“The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized in the lifetime of the opportunity.”
These words Belmor Primary School Grade 7 teacher Charnelle Hector lives by and invests in as her pupils have to dodge bullets and violence on a daily basis in Hanover Park.
Hector is not only an educator but a blogger who writes about her life experiences and recently wrote a piece titled “A Mixed Masala.”
The blog follows her journey of growing up in the streets of Hanover Park, sharing the tales of the food markets, Sunday school, friendships and respect for one another.
“I spent many years living in Hanover Park, and it was sheer poetry. As a child, we played indigenous games until twilight or until our parents started calling for us in the distance,” Hector writes in her blog, which is shared via her Facebook account.
Hector had strong role models; her mother and aunts, who were also teachers, helped to shape her future.
Today, after 13 years of teaching, Hector is empowered, driven to plant the seed of hope and enthusiasm, encouraging her pupils to rise above her circumstances.
Hector lives to inspire her pupils and to set an example and won the provincial award for Excellence in Primary School Teaching in 2015 and was the first runner-up during the national awards in 2022.
As she celebrates Women’s Month, Hector told Weekend Argus one of the biggest challenges for a young woman entering the teaching profession was finding her voice.
“I realised the impact and magnitude of the role I played in the lives of my learners. Everyone’s voice matters, no matter how young or old you may be,” she said.
“I woke up one day and thought to myself: ‘You are the leading lady of your own life. You are the heroine. You've got the starring role.
“You have the main speaking part in this production, girl! The spotlight is on you because you are a versatile woman capable of portraying any given role with confidence and poise.
“You have that Oscar-Award winning ability to pour your heart and soul into whatever role life throws at you because every level of your life demands a different version of you.
“You are a woman and teacher: an agent of change, and the show simply cannot go on without you.”
Hector makes it her goal to help her pupils live beyond the trauma by teaching them coping skills and inviting heroes from their community to share their stories.
“Our learners are not experiencing the Hanover Park that I just reminisced about. They are often traumatised because of the violence that they are exposed to.
“Many of them did not have the luxury of playing outside during the school holidays, and those who took the risk, often had to dodge bullets and literally run for their lives. As educators, we try our best to teach our learners to self-regulate and provide them with coping mechanisms to combat the trauma.
“We also try to change the narrative from the predictable future to the preferred.’’
Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Bronagh Hammond said Hector was one of the top teachers in the province.
Education MEC David Maynier said teachers often act as counsellors, guardians, protectors and life coaches.
“I urge all our educators to keep up with their invaluable work,” he said.