In April 1982 a young boy aged 9 from South Africa arrived at Westbrook Hay. He spoke little English and was joining a boarding school far away from home. At the end of the summer term, no one came to pick him up. He had been abandoned!
Another family from Westbrook Hay adopted Kabelo and gave him a home and shelter. Westbrook Hay became his home for much of the following four years and over this period he became fluent in English and settled in the country.
Kabelo has gone on to live an extraordinary life being Sou-Chef at The Grove, cook to the Saudi Royal family, owning his own gastro pub and now having a family of his own.
Kabelo knew little about his family or the circumstances as to why he had been left at Westbrook Hay. However, his elder sister, who lives in the USA, searched for him and eventually found him. He has since been reunited with his family and is in contact with his six siblings and his mother. Other siblings have had similar experiences so there has been plenty to reflect on.
During Kabelo’s time in South Africa he spent most of his time in Lesotho. He has since revisited the area and met up with relatives. Despite the rejection he felt when he was abandoned at Westbrook Hay he can also appreciate that the life he now leads would never have been possible if he had stayed in Losetho. He now supports members of his family and sponsors children from the region.
Last Friday his sister visited Kabelo for the first time and a top priority was revisiting Westbrook Hay to acquaint her with the place Kabelo calls his second home. It was an emotional trip for all concerned. We are so proud of everything Kabelo has achieved and it was lovely to listen to Kabelo recall his time at the school with such passion and for him to explain how the Westbrook Hay community has been core to who he is now.
Kabelo was handed to the air stewardess to fly solo back to South Africa
