Learning to read has opened up a whole new world for a 47 year old truck driver. Until 2007, Jack Mothale could not read, and he believed he would always be a gardener at Karstens Farm in Konnoneiland. Then at the age of 43, Jack enrolled for an Adult Education and Training (AET) course and took charge of his future and nowadays drives a truck driver.

“When I started I couldn’t read or write and I was dependant on others for assistance.  Because I couldn’t speak or understand English I started with Setswana Literacy Level 1.   This gave me a solid foundation because I was taught in my mother tongue. I passed Setswana and am now busy with Numeracy Level 1 and it’s going well,” says Jack.

Jack was born in Vryburg in the North West Province and grew up with seven brothers and sisters. Although his parents loved their children, they did not have the means to send them to school. Jack started working for Karsten Farms in 2003 as a seasonal worker and when his contract expired, the farm employed him as a gardener because he was a hard worker.

Thanks to AET, Jack was able to get his Code 14 driver’s license and was promoted from a gardener to a truck driver in 2011. On his first road trip to Prieska, Jack was very excited because he could read the road signs and arrived at his destination without any problems.

“I can read my Bible, send SMSs on my cell phone and withdraw money from the ATM without assistance,” Jack explains.

Jack’s first born son is now in Grade 2 and he looks up to his father. Jack encourages his son to do well in school because education is the key to success. Since he learnt to read through Media Works’ AET programme, Jack can now also help his son with his homework.

“I want my children to achieve better things in life. My life has changed for the better. I am so happy and it is all because of the opportunity I was given to further my education,” Jack says.