by Cathy Achilles | Nov 22, 2022 | Uncategorized
Thank you for the journey with me the past year and allowing me to share my story as a Champion and graduate. I am handing over the baton for Champions to share their stories. “The day I became a Champion”, is a poem I wrote especially for this blog. This marathon of...
by Cathy Achilles | Nov 9, 2022 | Uncategorized
My fight for mental health and an end to homelessness intertwine like yarn that warms the winter cold, so it’s not surprising that we commemorate World Homeless day and World Mental Health day annually on the same day. Psychiatry is not impervious to people who sleep...
by Cathy Achilles | Oct 11, 2022 | Uncategorized
I felt my voice had been muted when I was admitted to a psychiatric ward during the level five COVID lockdown, as government restrictions did not allow for visitors. My poetry was born in these moments despite having written a few poems before then. It felt like I was...
by Cathy Achilles | Sep 21, 2022 | Uncategorized
Our birthday celebration has started.Over the next few weeks we will share 25 #Thisisworking videos from our graduates. Today I am sharing my video with you. When I reflect on my journey out of homelessness I am grateful to U-turn for what they have done for me. Two...
by Cathy Achilles | Sep 6, 2022 | Uncategorized
Nothing refreshes the fatigued soul like a hot shower or bath. I discovered that a hot shower is a luxury when I had no electricity in my apartment for some time. I fought battles nobody knew about, months before I became homeless. From the outside I lived a perfect...
by Cathy Achilles | Aug 30, 2022 | Uncategorized
Meeting Evelyn (not her real name) at the night shelter was like looking at a mosaic made from the broken mirrors of my childhood. When Evelyn’s second husband lost his job they fell into the shelter system. Her husband is originally from Limpopo. The bond between...
