Caleb grew up in the Ark after his mother converted from Islam to Christianity and faced persecution from her family. Caleb was just an infant and was supposed to pay for his mother’s decision with his life. The only safe place she could find for him was there. Due to the trauma he experienced in his early years, he has only one memory of his entire childhood: lying on the ground near a door, forgotten when it slammed shut, trapping his finger. To this day, he carries a scar from that moment—both on his finger and emotionally.

At the age of 15, he and his mother left the Ark, marking the beginning of a turbulent time for him. He felt lost and angry that he had to witness and experience the things he did. His father died before he ever got to know him. His relationship with his mother was nonexistent until shortly before her death. He understood that he should have had a much better life.

The conditions in the Ark were complicated. There was a strong sense of community, but even basic necessities like toothbrushes had to be shared—just like knowledge. The children taught themselves and each other to read and write using newspapers. During his time in the Ark, the focus was more on the adults seeking help. The children were punished with beatings, and if one misbehaved, everyone was beaten equally.

At 17, Marlies and Gregor became a significant part of his life. “Get yourself a school!” was their command to him. He was told to apply everywhere he could. Cape Town High School accepted him, and as he realized what it meant to grow up the way he did and wear a school uniform for the first time, he knew he would have to work ten times harder than everyone else.

He knew nothing and no one outside the Ark and had no idea of the deep social divisions that existed—or where he stood within them.

He graduated.

Caleb loved history, wanted to be in front of the camera, write, and speak. Journalist. And that’s exactly what he became when he decided to give university a chance. He studied art, linguistics, history, and geography.

Today, Caleb is the finished product of what Marlies and Gregor hoped to achieve. He loved his work as a journalist and writer, yet he wanted to do something where he could touch more lives and make a greater impact. Caleb became a teacher and has been educating children since 2013, striving to be a role model for them. Additionally, he and his wife coach children at the Ark, encouraging them and showing them through his own example what can become of someone who was once expected to meet a very different fate.

When asked where he would be today if it weren’t for Marlies and Gregor, he gave a clear, loud, and undeniable answer:

“I’d be living on the streets.”