When Deborah Gonsalves looks back on her journey with Ocean View APD, it is not the titles she held, the fundraising she organised, or the countless responsibilities she carried that stand out most. It is the people.

Her story began long before Ocean View APD became the organisation it is today. Following her father’s battle with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, he joined what was then known as the Ocean View Work Group, a social activity group consisting of just five members.  Wanting to help, Deborah volunteered her trusty Peugeot station wagon to transport the group’s six members to meetings and activities.

What started as a simple act of kindness soon became a lifelong commitment.

As interest in the group grew, so did the vision.  Through determination, fundraising, and community support, the group secured the then-derelict Annie van der Horst building, which remains the centre’s home today.  On 15 April 1999, the organisation officially registered as an NPO and workshop under APD, laying the foundation for decades of meaningful impact.  Deborah officially joined the staff complement as a driver after the organisation acquired its first vehicle.  From there, she moved into a half-day supervisory role, then a full-time one.  As often happens in the non-profit sector, whenever funding was tight or team members retired or resigned, Deborah simply stepped in and did what needed to be done.

“Things just happened,” she says modestly.

But anyone who knows Deborah knows that things did not simply happen.  They happened because she was willing to go the extra mile, often well beyond her job description.  Ask her about her proudest moments, and she does not mention awards or milestones.  Instead, she recalls a member who once could not write his own name, later gaining the confidence and independence to challenge a shopkeeper who had given him incorrect change.  Those are the victories that mattered most.

Over the years, Deborah has learned as much from the members as they have learned from her.  “The members taught me to be unselfish,” she says.  “No matter how little they have, they still share.”

As she prepares to hand over the baton, Deborah hopes her successor will lead with compassion and never be afraid to go beyond what is expected in order to make a difference.  One of her favourite pieces of advice, often shared with visiting students, sums up her approach to life perfectly: “Be yourself and enjoy your job.  I have not worked a day in my life because I loved what I did.  There were challenges, yes, but they can be overcome if you are enjoying what you do.”

And what does retirement look like for someone who has spent so many years serving others?

For starters, she plans to put her feet up and, in her own words, “word wakker, nie skrik wakker!”  There are hobbies waiting to be explored, opportunities to volunteer when she can, and the freedom to enjoy a slower pace while embracing whatever lies ahead.

On behalf of Western Cape APD, Ocean View APD, colleagues, members, and everyone whose life has been touched by your dedication, thank you, Deborah.  Thank you for every lift given, every challenge accepted, every fundraiser tackled, every encouraging word shared, and every life changed along the way.  Your legacy is not found in a job title.  It lives in the confidence, independence, and dignity you helped countless people discover.  We wish you a retirement filled with joy, good health, new adventures, and many mornings where you wake up exactly as planned, not “skrik wakker”!

Congratulations on your retirement, Deborah. You leave big shoes to fill, but an even bigger legacy to celebrate.

To get in touch with Ocean View APD, please contact: 021 7831274 / oceanviewapd@telkomsa.net