After nearly four decades Rachel Jacobs has been reunited with her siblings.
Jacobs had left her home in Beaufort West in 1987 and ventured to Cape Town for better work opportunities.
A few weeks ago, Jacobs was wandering the streets of Beacon Valley, in Mitchells Plain when she met Estella Roman from TracknTrace.
Jacobs had relied on donations and friendship to keep her alive and well.
Roman said she had noticed Jacobs in the street, looking troubled and lost, and immediately knew something was wrong.
After speaking to Jacobs, she learnt that she had fallen on hard times after relocating to Cape Town and was keen to see her brother, who was a retired teacher or principal and her sister.
“I saw this woman walking down Alpine Street and I asked her whether she was okay,” said Roman.
“I made her a cup of coffee and a sandwich.She said she had been living with a man who was abusive and he later passed away.
“She moved out of that house and lived with another group of people.
“She began telling me about her life story, that she had left her hometown, Beaufort West when she was a young woman to work here in Cape Town.
“She said she had a brother who was either a teacher or a principal and was keen to go back home but didn't have the means and didn't know whether her family was still in that community after nearly four decades.
“I am grateful to Soraya Samsodien and Gail Clingon who also assisted me.”
Next Roman made contact with Chaz Thomas, from TracknTrace, who began searching on Facebook groups in Beaufort West.
They also had another dilemma, Jacobs had no identity document.
“Chaz and myself placed it on Facebook groups in Beaufort West where we had a positive response from her sister,” she said.
Thomas explained: “Her sister was working in Oranjezicht and that was the one who responded to our Facebook post and she also placed us in touch with the brother.”
Roman said they were delighted to see her board a taxi to her hometown.
“It is a feeling that I cannot explain, to see people being reunited, especially after they felt so lost and hopeless so there are good people out there in this world who cares,” she added.
Weekend Argus also made contact with both the brother and sister as Jacobs does not own a cellphone.
Both declined to comment and said they did not want to be identified.