Daily Dispatch

Spreading hope after life of turmoil

- By POLISWA PLAATJIE

A FORMER gangster and a former drug addict are using their stories to motivate the youth.

The married couple, Vera Qwesha and Sakhi Manona, who both got a second chance in life, have written books about their past lifestyles.

Speaking to the Daily Dispatch, the Port Elizabeth couple said their books and talks were inspired by their desire to see transforma­tion in townships.

Qwesha, a former prostitute, grew up in a disadvanta­ged home dreaming of changing her family situation.

“I was the first graduate at home but I never used my politics degree. What started out as a plan to save money for start-up capital soon became a lifestyle. I took the easy way out of poverty and that was drugs and prostituti­on,” she said.

Just before leaving the country to join an escort agency in the UK, Qwesha was invited to visit Prophet Timo Omotoso, who had seen her at a church service in Port Elizabeth.

“The first time I visited my aunt’s church, the man of God [Omotoso] said I would write a book about my life. He said my success was in that. At the time he [Omotoso] did not know anything about my lifestyle.

“When he called me before I went to England, I went down to Durban to see him and when I got there I saw reports that there were prostitute­s who had been killed in a hotel in England. At that moment, I decided to stop prostituti­on,” she said.

Four years later – in December 2014 – she managed to quit doing drugs after a visit to the same church in Port Elizabeth.

Qwesha moved to Durban where she started serving at the Jesus Dominion Internatio­nal Church under Omotoso’s leadership.

She wrote her book, From Grass to Grace , in 2015. It was during her time in ministry that she met her husband, Manona.

Manona, who was sent to prison for committing robberies, got his second chance in life when Omotoso visited him in 2013 in a Port Elizabeth jail.

Released two years later, he has since been using his time to share the gospel with other young men.

“Many of my friends have died or are serving life sentences. I know many of them would love to get this second chance. I want to make sure I use my time effectivel­y and help change lives,” he said.

Manona has also written a book, From Why to Wow, which talks about his life.

To get hold of either book, e-mail

 ?? Picture: SINO MAJANGAZA ?? FRESH START: Reformed couple Vera Qwesha and Sakhi Manona are on a mission to change lives with their transformi­ng life stories
Picture: SINO MAJANGAZA FRESH START: Reformed couple Vera Qwesha and Sakhi Manona are on a mission to change lives with their transformi­ng life stories

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