Meet the TEAM – 2020

Chairperson: Phillip Doubell

East London Chapter leader: Joan Doubell

I’m happily married to Joan and we have 5 kids that range from 23 to 6…. Bertus (23), Robyn (21), Jared (16), Chloé (15), and Emily-Grace (7).

We started Homeschooling 3 years ago and at this stage, we are homeschooling two of our girls, Chloé and Emily-Grace. Emily-Grace is a special needs child and she is the Boss of our home. She has come a long way in her recovery and has baffled the medical profession with her development. We feel that home education is in her best interest to provide an environment that is suited to her needs. The growth in Chloé since we started Homeschooling is beautiful and exciting. She has become so confident and blossomed into a math whizz since we started, were she even tutors Grade 12 students.

I have worked within the Government for most of my life. I started in Municipal, moved to Provincial, and subsequently ended up as a General Manager within a National Department. I was privileged to work within relevant directorates and branches were one of my functions were to draft policy and laws from Green to White Papers processes for approval within the Legislature and Parliament. I believe that it is time for the Homeschooling Community in the Eastern Cape and South Africa to rise up and take a stand for our children and future generations of children, and to protect their rights in terms of current law and most of all the Constitution.

I believe that I do have the competency, capacity, and skill to support ECHSA to become an organization and a force to be reckoned with relating to decisions made by Government, on Provincial and National level, regarding Homeschooling.

Vice-Chairperson: Natascha Yazbek

I am originally from the Free State and lived in the North West province for many years. My husband John and I, decided to move our family to Bathurst almost 5 years ago after we made a firm decision to homeschool as we just felt that it would be in the boy’s best interest to do so. Currently, we are enjoying the flexibility this lifestyle affords us and the boys can focus on what they love. Aradan, my 12-year-old, is a budding fantasy writer and loves the works of CS Lewis, JRR Tolkien, Susan Cooper, and Ursula le Guin. My 9 year old loves everything mechanical and science orientated and loves to blow things up! We enjoy the Eastern Cape for it’s lush, rugged surroundings and countryside where our two boys are flourishing in this natural environment. As a family, they are passionate about homeschooling and to ensure we and our children have the freedom to home educate in peace for years to come.

Secretary:  Erika Adendorff

I was born in Germiston, Gauteng. As a single mom of three, I studied part-time for approx 8 years to improve our lives and lifestyle.  Lived and worked in Gauteng for 15 years. Worked in manufacturing, engineering, and catering environment for many years. I have approx 20 years of experience in being either an executive secretary or personal assistant from small one-man businesses to corporate.  

Remarried the most incredible man sent by God 15 years ago. We decided to become part of the CMA (Christian Motorcycles Association) ministering and counseling to bikers at rallies and day jols. I am very passionate about the Woman’s Ministry.  Accumulative, I have 8 children (2 x husband; 3 x my own and 3 adopted).  I have a big heart for my children. I have accumulative 10 grandchildren. My husband traveled a lot with the work and our youngest twin daughters struggled with not having their Daddy home often enough.  One of the twins was diagnosed with severe ADHD, Dyslexia, SPS and learning disabilities, and Alicia just the opposite – gifted girl and all-rounder. Hence the reason we put the girls in a private school with small classes. After struggling with her to cope with school,  to be convinced that she needs to be medicated, we consulted with Martie du Plessis and decided to start the homeschool journey.  This really fitted our family needs because we could accompany my husband on his travels without disturbing our family culture and challenges.  Believe me, if I tell you that I really had great challenges with a special needs child. We helped with conventional devices and apparatus to help and assist her. And it worked!  It took me 3 years to complete Gr 1 principles until the foundations were laid down properly. During 2 of the 3 years, we concentrated on cooking, sewing, gardening, woodwork, and art.  We literally had fun and pursued education through that. During the first 5 years of homeschooling a put together our own curriculum from Apologia, Math Mammoth, Australian resources – whichever suite my daughters’ needs. And it really went well. We traveled Seychelles, Australia, Namibia, Western Cape, and the Garden route in a camping trailer for one year and during that period we did Footprints on our Land. My girls can braai a Kudu, Oryx or Springbok steak like most experience braaiers cannot braai.  Alexis is sort of between 2 career choices which are veterinarian nurse/assistant or equine occupational therapist and Alicia a definite organic farmer.  After much praying and deliberations, discussions with Erica Hugo, we decided to start IGCSE this year and the girls made their own subject choices. As part of my girls’ education and development, they are volunteering as a Horse Riding School and an Organic Farm in the afternoons, twice a week. They cannot just study – they must put into practice what they study and make sure this is what they want to do for the rest of their lives. 

I feel very fortunate to be part of ECHSA. I want to be an influencer for home education and the freedom to homeschool.  I want to impact the nation and bring kingdoms together.  I also love being part of ECHSA to be able to have a voice that votes and speaks for ALL homeschoolers in South Africa which a hope my grandchildren will be part of.  

We make up our own day as we go along and whatever works for us. We LOVE and appreciate the freedom to homeschool.

Chapter Leader PE: Lowell Vickers

I was born in East London and grew up on a farm in the Lady Grey district of the North Eastern Cape. Obtained a National Diploma in Electrical Engineering at PE Technikon andspent most of my career as a Sales Engineer, marketing and selling products in the Process Control Industry, both in Gauteng and here in the Eastern Cape.

I got married to Daleen in 2004, and we have two boys, Liam (13) and Ewan (10). I left the corporate game in Oct 2016. We decided to make the move to home schooling during the first term of 2017, and so have been home schoolers since April of 2017. We lean more towards the unschooling approach, with a mixed bag of curriculum content. Currently, I home school our boys, while also working on building an MLM business, and our dream of a homesteading lifestyle, where we would like to go off the grid as much as possible, and become self-sufficient, using the principles of permaculture.

We love how home schooling fits hand in glove with the lifestyle philosophy we are pursuing:

Permaculture Homestead

Self Sufficiency

Energy Conservation

Simple, Free Lifestyle