Fiesty personality adds fun to community work
Meet the life coach and counsellor at Richards Bay High School.
LUCY Steenkamp, life coach and counsellor at Richards Bay High School, is nothing short of fun and loads of laughter, love and compassion and is always ready to give others a hand to live their best lives.
Steenkamp is involved in counselling pupils and families, encouraging community and pupil interaction, charity work and in various activities from the CANSA shavathons and Save the Rhino initiative to collecting recycled plastics for wheelchairs, the list is endless.
The 64-year-old is of the opinion that one must keep the mind going and she always has a project on her plate.
Dealing with children with issues and also caring for her mother, who is well in her 90s, she is now raising broilers and growing veggies too.
She is passionate about all matters relating to education, art and the general well-being of the school’s pupils and the community. She was a teacher for 25 years and went on to join Mondi’s social corporate responsibility department in 1997.
When she was retrenched seven years ago, Steenkamp took up a temporary post at Richards Bay High School and has been part of the school family since.
‘I am passionate about people and it is always about others and being of service.
‘I like to keep busy. It’s my nature to look for new projects, when I complete one I look for a replacement.
‘It is a decision to be happy and keeping positive is a choice, everywhere I go, and whatever I do, I always find humour.’
The interview veers off track numerous times, with Steenkamp sharing some hilarious stories about her pets’ personalities, accidentally buying the wrong hair colour while on a shopping trip without her glasses and being dubbed ‘the rooikop tannie’ by her pupils.’
In the Hindu community, she was referred to as ‘The Oak’, she who gives shelter and protection.
‘I cannot deny what I was put on earth for, being of service to others.’
In her spare time, Lucy enjoys reading and aims for 13 books a week, having dinner with friends and spending time with her sanctuary of pets: three dogs, five puppies, two cats, broilers. ‘Yes all the pets live in total harmony,’ she said.
