At 20 years old Jamie de Kock has been given a second chance.
The Strand local rebelled against her family and ran away from home at aged 16, lived on the streets, stood at traffic lights and consumed drugs.
Today she is an intern chef at Hebrews Coffee Shop in Strand which, along with it’s affiliate Second Chance clothing, has opened doors to help her kick her addiction and take responsibility of her future.
De Kock now hopes her story will inspire others to pursue a similar path of hope and growth over one that never ends well.
“Looking back, it was bad company that almost destroyed my life,” she recalled.
At the time she had lived with her family in a complex. She would sometimes break into homes to feed her habit and residents felt unsafe.
“There was a court order for me to vacate the premises, so I just left. I lived all over the Helderberg for four years. Many people wanted to help me, but I wasn’t ready to leave the drugs. I felt I hadn’t hit rock bottom yet.”
Every time her family found her at traffic lights or on the streets she would run away and hide from them, and rejected any form of help.
“Eventually the guy I was living with beat me up for the umpteenth time. I was black and blue when my family found me again. My aunt and cousin asked me to come and live with them, and I agreed.”
It was 2021 when De Kock then started as a volunteer at Hebrews. The business has a reputation of assisting people on the streets and has made a major impact on countless families since the pandemic.
“Just months later I had a relapse,” she said. “It’s only through God’s grace that I’m still here. They gave me a chance, sent me to rehab for six months and even paid for it, and when I got back I started volunteering here again. Now I work here permanently.”
De Kock is now ambitious and eager to help others on the streets, and also started a back-a-buddy campaign to fund rehabilitation enrolments and tuition fees to help her cause.
She’s also enrolled at night school and plans to finish her matric this year.
“Jamie has grown so much in reliability and responsibility, and has really come back a changed person,” says Hester Louw-Mosley, owner of Hebrews. “And her skills in the kitchen are improving daily. It’s a privilege to help her along this journey.”
Over the past couple of years the business has also encouraged and boosted entrepreneurial potential whenever it has encountered it. For example, it assisted the founders of Pão Bakery to get off the ground, and business has flourished ever since. Hebrews and Second Chance also gave a platform to one Dawood Nel who, today, owns his own business, McDawoods Café in Strand.
“We feel fortunate to be in a position, sometimes, to help others and be a sort of stepping stone for people to find their light,” Louw-Moseley added. Hebrews and Second Chance are based on a concept seen in England.
“It was a safe space for people who struggled with alcohol and drugs to find themselves again and be given an opportunity, and this inspired us to do something similar,” Louw-Moseley explained. “We always look to recruit those who need help, but it is not always easy. We also welcome volunteers from the community to help lighten the load.”
Hebrews Coffee Shop, situated at 28 Michau Street, Strand, offers breakfast and light meals as well as small functions for up to 20 people.
