Based on statistics, South Africa is seen as the world’s rape capital.
In February 2013, J-P Nobrega was sitting in traffic on his way to work. It was an ordinary day, the same old queue of cars steadily pacing the highway. Listening to his daily dose of the Breakfast Show with Darren Simpson on what was then known as 94.7 Highveld Stereo, J-P noticed something unusual, something was different today.
Every few minutes – four to be exact – a beep would echo over the air, interrupting their daily broadcast. He soon learnt that the beep symbolised every time someone was raped in the country, a rape campaign which was being broadcast in conjunction with LEAD SA. It was a hard hitting realisation. For many it was frightening, but would remain just a momentary realisation.
For J-P, it was the planting of a very important seed that would grow and be nurtured into something far greater. He had had enough. Switching off the radio, J-P went to bed that night with a black cloud hanging over his head.
He knew something had to be done.
After much deliberation, and research – which led to the discovery of issues far broader than the uncontrollable rise in rape statistics – he decided to leave his cushy job as an accountant, sold all of his valuable possessions and started RADA, a non-profit organisation.
The former Chief Financial Officer of an energy company, J-P now eats and breaths RADA alongside his personal tax practice.
He says,
“I heard the campaign and was mortified about the situation. I grew extremely emotional about it, had a lengthy discussion with Jacqueline Gilbert (now the MD of RADA) and shortly thereafter bonded the house and started RADA – May 2013 to be exact and now I eat and breath RADA. I juggle time between my practice and RADA work.”
– GOODTHINGSGUY
