Client stories

People on asylum or refugee documentation in South Africa faced uncertainty during the Covid-19 National Lockdown in South Africa.

Thousands of clients walk through Scalabrini’s doors every year. As staff, we have different types of interaction with each client. In some cases, different teams get involved to find a solution. Some stories stay with you forever. Appo will remain someone particularly important to us as a team.
This is in memory of Appo, and is dedicated to his family, wherever they might be.

Geruza, who arrived in South Africa from Angola as a two-year-old, has carved a life in Johannesburg’s metropolis. Faced with documentation and identity challenges, Geruza escaped into literature. Her writing skills have now led her to an opportunity to study Creative Writing at Masters level.

To Aza, a leader has always been “a person in the spotlight” – someone who leads from the front. Joining UNITE has given Aza a new perspective on what it means to be a leader. She now believes that a leader is someone who pushes others forward and offers them the support to believe in themselves. This has been Aza’s experience of UNITE. Although 2021 has had an uncertain start, Aza is looking forward to being able to begin her first year of university.

Adriana, who is based in Brazil, studies transitional justice and the impact of mining companies on indigenous people in the Amazon. When she came to Cape Town to compare the findings of her research in Brazil with indigenous people from Southern Africa, she realized that her abilities in English were hindering the research. This realization led her to Scalabrini’s English School – which opened up her world to the melting pot of South Africa.