Gerco van Deventer, a South African paramedic, was abducted in Libya in November 2017 while on duty in Awbari. Five years have passed, but his wife Shereen remains hopeful for his safe return. She described her husband as an attentive, loving, and protective husband and father who treated her like a queen.
Shereen is the sole breadwinner for their family, and she often finds it emotionally draining to handle typical school activities and assisting with homework without her husband’s guidance and protection. The couple has three children, and they have been struggling emotionally without their father’s presence.
Van Deventer was employed as an on-site emergency medical practitioner at the Awbari power plant when he was kidnapped. After eight months, he was reportedly sold to Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate branch in Mali that demanded $500,000 for his release.
Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of The Givers, a humanitarian organization, stated that their hostage negotiator, Mohamed Yayha Dicko, a South African of Malian origin, was expected to make contact on Monday with someone who claimed to know Van Deventer. The Gift of The Givers has received several messages in support of Van Deventer, and they have sent all the material to his captors pleading for his unconditional release.
On Friday, his captors confirmed that they had received all the material. Today, Mohamed Yayha Dicko is scheduled to meet with someone who called on Friday claiming to know Van Deventer. The organization is hopeful that this meeting will help them make progress in securing Van Deventer’s release. Shereen said that she had never lost hope of her husband’s safe return, but she has lost count of the number of days that she cried herself to sleep.
She said that she often acted strong for her children, but she missed her husband so much that she wished she could give him a call and tell him that she was having a really bad day. Shereen’s story highlights the emotional toll that kidnapping and hostage situations have on families and loved ones.
The uncertainty and lack of closure can lead to a range of emotional difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. The Gift of The Givers’ efforts to negotiate for Van Deventer’s release demonstrate the importance of perseverance and hope in situations where there seems to be little chance of success.
Mboma Mboma