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I am one of ten children during a time when inequality
and oppression was the norm in South Africa.
Growing up in Ravensmead, Cape Town, I faced material
as well as emotional poverty, every single day of my childhood.
My circumstances and environment gave me no reason to
continue going to school. At the age of fourteen years old I ventured
into the world, unprepared and unskilled.
Everything dictated that life would be short, dirty
and meaningless for me. But I had a vision, a goal that I
passionately pursued. The goal was to make a difference in society,
starting with me.
I married my wife Maureen in 1977 and in that same
year we both became committed Christians. We have four beautiful
children, two boys and two girls
In 1979 I started making music and realized that this
is a powerful tool for me to accomplish my goals and pursue my
vision. My music is not only confined to stages and churches, but,
schools, prisons, hospitals and street corners. I have travelled the
Far East, Europe, USA and New Zealand. I composed songs for other
well-known artists nationally and internationally. In 1974 I composed
my first song called "She's gone" and my second in 1976
named "Stop the rain". A
year later, after my conversion, I started singing in churches and
other musical events. My song "Step by Step" became an
instant success on both Secular and Gospel charts in 1984. My music
is recorded and being performed by my brother Neville Nash (Paulson)
and various top artists both locally and internationally. I am
perhaps more known for my hit songs "Môre sal die son weer
Skyn" and "Step by Step".
In 1985 we relocated to Eersterust, Pretoria,
Living in Eersterust, I was not obsessed or defeated
by my more than difficult childhood. I became engrossed in community
work, trying to bring hope to the lives of people who were more and
less fortunate than myself, and are trying get out of the dark abyss
of their lives.
In 1990 I, despite my "birth without hope",
had established a Community Development Organization called
"Youth Development Outreach" (YDO).
More than sixteen years later, the organization still
exists and grows, with a very competent management team taking it
into the future. Today, YDO is one of the only sustainable training
centres in the Eersterust-community, with a successful track record
of an "Awaiting Trail Youth Restorative Justice Program"
that truly makes a difference.
In 1994, the boy who saw no reason to go to High
School, wrote and passed his matric examination, as an adult who
overcame what life dictated, laying the foundation to qualify myself
with more skills that enabled me to live towards a prosperous future.
With YDO well established and responsible management
in place, in 1996 and living a very different future from the one so
many people expected, moved to Port Elizabeth, where my unfailing
commitment to my vision continued.
For good reason, in 2000, I was asked to become
station manager of Radio Kingfisher, the only Christian radio station
in Port Elizabeth.
At that time Radio Kingfisher was experiencing many
and varied difficulties, threatening its existence. Amongst other
things, the radio station lost its broadcasting license to a competitor.
My leadership and management skill was desperately needed.
This is another example of how "life with
hope" leads to a prosperous future. Not only for the individual
who lives with hope, but for everyone and everything he or she influences.
By 2002,Radio Kingfisher was granted a permanent
four-year broadcast license, for the first time.
At the end of 2006, Radio Kingfisher is re-launched as
Kingfisher FM, moving towards greater heights as a model community
radio station that truly works.
I have been blessed with the life I have been given.
It could have been very different. Instead of dying defeated, I lived
successfully, while changing people's lives.
I want to empower as may people in my lifetime here on
earth. My desire is for people, facing these same obstacles like me,
to have this same life of hope. They must live life to the fullest.
........... read more
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