Big Issue vendor Leslie Pearson has had a remarkable life journey, which has been intertwined with tragedy and triumph. The 65-year-old Leslie has devoted most of his life to caring for the elderly. “I was in the Rhodesian air force when I was young, and when I returned to South Africa in 1980, I looked after my elderly mother. I was her only family member and cared for her when she developed Alzheimer’s disease in her later years. I never married or had any children and sacrificed having a family of my own to take care of her,” he recalls.
Leslie joined The Big Issue in 2004 after falling on hard times. In 2007, he landed a job as a security officer at St Monica’s Old Age Home in Bokaap, where his mother lived when she became too frail to cope at home. He cared for her until she passed away, and “it was through her that I have this passion for the elderly”, Leslie says.
この記事は Big Issue の Issue 286 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です ? サインイン
この記事は Big Issue の Issue 286 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Visit The ‘Seaside Circus'
There’s a new art activation on the prom …
SA's Food Capture?
While the debate rages on over glyphosate-based herbicides, farmers are spraying the chemical all over the world
Design That Uplifts, Delight Intrigues
A collaboration with Southern Guild at the Silo District in Cape Town showcases designer Rich Mnisi’s first solo exhibition, titled Nyoka, on show from 2 October 2021 through to 4 February 2022. Designed to reach out and inspire.
Why Kaaps Language Dictionary Matters!
The first-ever dictionary of South Africa’s Kaaps language has launched. Why it matters …
Hungry, And Tired
This charity has been feeding Cape Town’s hungry for more than 80 years. Never have so many people queued for food.
Life's Ups And Downs
Feeling burnt out? Clinical Psychologist and Business Director at The Human Edge, Helene Vermaak, gives some grounded self-care advice for anyone feeling overstressed or depleted.
WHAT'S ON?
Get out and about under the spring sun, or enjoy entertainment online from the comfort of your couch …
SPACE TO REFLECT
When former Big Issue editor, Alicia English, lost her husband to Covid-19 earlier this year, she and her son discovered a novel way to process overwhelming, difficult feelings.
INSPIRATIONAL READING
Whether you tap, turn pages or listen to audiobooks, an inspirational read can help you relax and see the world differently.
Rough sleeping
“Winters are the worst nightmare for us,” says a homeless man in Springs. Temperatures dropped to minus 7º C recently.
