Teacher steps in as teenager’s fairy godmother
Kindness pays big dividends for Nathan
AFTER days of missing school due to a lack of taxi fare, hitching and even sleeping on a couch, a former Paterson High School pupil overcame adversity with the help of a caring teacher and tons of determination.
Grateful for being given the opportunity to spend two months in his own student pad – equipped with all the facilities needed to create a space to focus and study – Nathan Johnson, 18, of Malabar, said he was eternally thankful for a teacher opening up her home.
She is deputy principal Rose de Doncker who noticed a drop in Nathan’s marks, approached the frustrated pupil and learnt about his challenges at home.
Nathan said: “I will always treasure the effort and the sacrifice that was put in for me to reach my success.
“It was difficult to study at home because we are a family of eight and our house is not very big.
“I have two toddler siblings who were always around me when I tried to focus on my school work, which proved hard.
“I often slept on the couch which meant I had to wait until the house was less noisy in the evening when everyone was asleep to really start paying attention to my school books.”
Nathan said that due to financial issues, he would tend to stay away from school because he could not afford the taxi fare.
“Most days were a struggle to get to school but I told myself I needed to push through because I want to assist my family financially one day,” he said.
De Doncker described Nathan as a dedicated pupil with a sharp mind who was determined to make a success out of the opportunities he was given, so she decided to help.
“I knew I had to help where I could. I did not want to step on his parents’ toes in any way and understandably so,” she said.
“They were quite resistant at first but when I explained that it would benefit Nathan, they allowed him to stay with my family.
“We really tried our best to make him feel part of the family and I made sure he was well looked after because he needed to perform at his best.
“I am so proud of him for doing this well.”
Nathan, who passed at bachelor level, said if De Doncker had not offered a spot at her home, things might have been different.
“I stayed and became part of the family and I absolutely believe my results would not have been this good if I had to struggle on my own.”
Nathan, who hopes to study chartered accountancy, said his parents had been overcome with emotion.