MOT Youth of the Month: Darryll Fredericks

My name is Darryll Fredericks and I am a Young MOTivator from Boland TVET College, Caledon Campus.

This is my story of Courage.

I was born a premature baby and that came with few complications. I was so small that I couldn’t breathe on my own. The doctors said that my parents should prepare themselves for the “worst”. Another implication I’ve had is that I’m completely blind in my right eye and my eye sight in my left eye is so poor that there was a possibility of going completely blind. For years I allowed this to affect me negatively. I allowed it to define who I am.

As an 11-year-old boy, my cousin was playing rugby and my grandfather said that I’ll never be as good as my cousin and that hurt a lot! But it turned out to be the push I needed.

I started doing athletics back in 2009, but not because I’m a fast runner or to get girls to like me, nor was it because of my family, but it was the fact that somewhere out there is a child being told that he/she is not good enough and that their dreams do not matter. Today I have achieved 2 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze and medal of appreciation. I also contributed to our college winning 3^rd place in 2018 and this year winning 1^st place in 100m running.

I joined the MOT Programme in 2017 and it was the best decision ever! There I learnt that I determine my own destiny, to respect all religions, to treat everyone with respect, no matter if they’re a man or woman and to never look down on another person.

Through MOT, I learned that it’s okay to make mistakes and that you learn from them. Where other people might see a failure, I see it as a lesson.

Thank you, MOT for giving me this platform and opportunity to be myself.  

#Courage2bReal