Courageous Cayly

This is the final part of the impact statement that my mother wrote.

Courageous Cayly

Cayly has displayed great courage and tenacity in moving forward. Instead of succumbing to the pain of what happened and becoming bitter, she has turned the trauma into a positive force to reach out and help others. One of the expressions of that is the creation of this blog, where she speaks openly about what happened, her triggers, her hopes, dreams and fears. It is being read all over the world.

She has gone on to present an eco-friendly TV show for children (Garbage Gallery) on SABC3 and recently launched Bloom Studio, a drama studio with the goal of imparting confidence and hope into the lives of others. She has also done, and continues to do, motivational talks. One of the topics she speaks on is called “Dandelion in the Whirlwind”, that speaks of how when life rips you apart, those pieces can become seeds of hope for others. These have brought her into the media spotlight and she has been featured in the EC Weekend and the EP Herald La Femme supplement.

Cayly has been interviewed on local radio stations Kingfisher and Bay FM where her wisdom, maturity and growth were clearly evidenced in her responses to the interviewers questions.

She is currently producing and directing a 10 part documentary series called “Lattes & Love – Stories that Leave a Mark”, where she interviews women who are making a difference in society in the Eastern Cape, often overcoming significant challenges to make their mark. (On a lighter note, the documentaries are being filmed at Cayly’s favourite coffee shops, and the “Lattes” refers to the beverage of choice being consumed whilst conducting the interviews.)

Very dear to Cayly’s heart is for a sense of honour and value to be instilled in the lives of young boys. Her dream would be for young boys to grow up in an environment where they can discover their strength and then be encouraged to use it to protect rather than harm women. She is concerned about a fatherless society in which young boys are not seeing honour and commitment modelled daily within their own homes. One of her dreams would be to be involved in an orphanage, but more about that in future posts.

Cayly is passionate about restoration, especially of abused women and girls, and her simple yet powerful message to them is ‘just because someone hasn’t valued you, does not make you unworthy of being valued!’

She works closely with a local NGO, Love story, travelling regularly to local townships where she uses drama and play to make a difference in the lives of young children and teenagers. She tells how some of the children come running for a hug when they see her, which is so rewarding for her. Read https://caylysdandeliondays.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/i-dare-you/?preview=true&preview_id=503&preview_nonce=451e904354&post_format=standard

As courageous as she is, when she doesn’t feel safe or doesn’t feel considered or that she isn’t being given a choice, she still triggers.

Cayly’s journey of restoration continues.

Tomorrow is my ‘Life day’ so I suggest you eat a slice of cake (preferably red velvet or cheesecake) and celebrate with me! – Cayly