“When my parents passed away in 2003, I felt like my life was over as I had lost the only people who supported and gave me hope,” said Bongiwe Novoyi, formerly from the Bavianskloof Team in the Eastern Cape.

Novoyi said that in those days life was difficult as she didn’t have a job.

“I passed my matric in 2000 and I struggled to get a proper job and was unemployed for more than 6 years when Working on Fire provided me with a work opportunity as a fire fighter in the Bavianskloof Team.”

“Tears of joy could not stop rolling down my face when I was given the opportunity,” Novoyi said with a smile.

She said that her life changed for the better, she became a better person and could afford to assist her sisters financially. “In 2011 I was recruited to join the High Altitude Team at Van Stadens and that was a blessing in my life,” she told WoFire News.

Because of the skills she acquired at WOF, Novoyi said that she is doing well where she is now and she would like to further her studies so that she can be in management one day.

“The programme has skilled me in catering and first aider training. I would like to advise all fire fighters to always work hard and never lose hope and utilise the opportunities afforded to them by the programme,” she said.