Pretoria - A book about absent fathers, inspired by the life experiences of Pretoria resident Charley Pietersen, has been turned into a documentary.
The documentary titled Fatherlessness by Growing Up Without a Father SA foundation aims to address one of the biggest issues in South Africa – children having absent fathers and how this affects their lives as they grow up to become adults.
The two-hour documentary to be shown at Centurion Theatre in Lyttelton, Pretoria, at 6.30pm, is inspired by a book also titled Growing Up Without a Father, written by Pietersen in 2015.
He said it all started on Father’s Day during a church service when he noticed that children with absent fathers were neglected and discriminated against.
Pietersen then decided to research fatherlessness and the behaviour of children without fathers compared to those with a household with both parents.
I grew up without a father. That is what inspired the book. I picked up that there is a huge difference between children with both parents and children with single mothers.
The book tells the story of Pietersen and other people who also grew up without a father.
“Growing up without a father, from a poor background with a single mother, I told myself that I will change my life and those of other people.”
The book and documentary are all about hope and encouragement and that is the message he wants to relay to everyone.
“I always tell people that just because we grew up without fathers, that does not mean that there is something wrong with us and that despite some children having absent fathers, they can still make it in life.
“There are famous people such as the likes of Obama and Herman Mashaba, who have made it in life but did not have fathers that were present,” he added.
Pietersen said those who are fatherless often have an identity crisis and also envy those with both parents when conversations about fathers come up.
“As a child, you are sitting with an identity problem. You ask yourself where you come from and who you are; whose blood is following through your veins?”
“We must teach our sons to be responsible fathers and be gentlemen. They also need to respect women.”
Pretoria News