Vicki Fourie is an accomplished writer, public speaker, former beauty queen, and now a passionate filmmaker. But before all of that, her life has followed a clear thread—a golden storyline filled with silver linings pointing toward a greater purpose still unfolding.
A LEGACY OF STORYTELLING
The evidence was there long before Vicki was born. Her great-grandmother and grandmother were both writers, and her father was a poet. Her mother had a flair for drama. Words, stories, and the creative arts are woven into her DNA.
CAREL DU TOIT CENTRE
As a baby, Vicki developed a fever, and by the age of two, she still wasn’t speaking. Doctors confirmed she had 97% hearing loss. The cause remains unknown. She was enrolled at the Carel du Toit Centre in Cape Town, where she learned to speak using her voice and lipreading. With hearing aids, she could access around 40% of sound. As a child, she often made up her own stories while watching television —she couldn’t follow the dialogue, but her imagination filled in the gaps.
SCHOOL OF TOMORROW – ACE
At six, Vicki was fluent in Afrikaans. Her parents wanted her to attend an English-medium school, but couldn’t find one—so her father founded one: Lifestyle Christian Academy, based on the American ACE (Accelerated Christian Education) system. Within six months, Vicki was reading and speaking fluently in both English and Afrikaans. Language quickly became one of her greatest strengths. She excelled in academics, drama, dance, and sports. In national drama exams, she averaged 95%, qualifying to attend the International Student Convention in the U.S. in 2006.
Vicki’s grandmother often said she had to work twice as hard as hearing people. Despite being surrounded by a hearing world—at school, at home, among friends—Vicki pushed through with perseverance and grace.
From age nine, Vicki became a devoted reader, often visiting her local library. She loved Nancy Drew and dreamt of becoming an explorer—of stories, mysteries, and truths. She even kept a monthly film review book, rating movies she’d watched and pasting in newspaper clippings. She had a Hollywood scrapbook filled with photos and interviews of her favourite stars.
When subtitles became widely available, it was like a door had swung open. A whole new cinematic world became accessible. From that moment, her love for film, dialogue, story arcs, and character development deepened profoundly.
13thFLOOR – C-KRUIS
In 2009, Vicki joined the nonprofit performance group 13thFLOOR (formerly C-Kruis), touring schools and churches across South Africa. Armed with her battery camera, she documented their travels and published monthly newsletters on the group’s website. It was during this time that she noticed how youth were desperate for role models and inspiration. Later that year, she was crowned Miss Deaf South Africa—and chose to use her title not for charity events, but as a motivational speaker. To date, she has delivered over 170 talks across the country. Vicki was also crowned 1st Princess at the Miss Deaf International pageant in Las Vegas.
MISS DEAF SOUTH AFRICA
As Miss Deaf South Africa, Vicki published two books through Naledi Books and Carpe Diem Media. She wrote a regular column in various magazines and newspapers. She also starred in Kinders van Stilte, a theatre production performed at the Vryfees and Aardklop festivals, opposite Zane Meas and Antoinette Louw. While auditioning for TV and film, she found herself typecast in stereotypical deaf roles. This led to burnout, and she stepped away to refocus.
COCHLEAR™
In 2013 and 2015, Vicki received bilateral cochlear implants. Her hearing improved dramatically—up to 80%—but it took months of intensive speech and listening therapy. She had to relearn how to hear, which contributed to further burnout and eventually adrenal fatigue. Vicki always describes this process as having lived in black and white for so many years, and finally discovering a world filled with colour through her implants.
BSSM
In 2016, Vicki attended the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) in Redding, California. Those 9 months brought healing and freedom, particularly from the weight of religious performance. She returned spiritually awakened, full of intention and self-awareness—qualities that deeply inform her creative work.
JSSM
In 2021, Vicki moved to Jeffrey’s Bay to recover from adrenal fatigue and mourn the passing of her father and grandmother. In this coastal town—known as the “Town of Dreams” and a place of restoration—her creativity reignited. She began hosting weekly creative writing classes and rediscovered her long-buried dreams.
AFDA
In 2024, Vicki qualified for an RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) based on her writing accomplishments. She skipped undergraduate studies and entered directly into an Honours programme at AFDA in Port Elizabeth. She graduated with distinction in Motion Picture Medium, specialising in scriptwriting. She believes she is called to reclaim the arts and entertainment sphere for a higher purpose and is excited about what lies ahead.
NFVF
Later in 2024, Vicki founded her own film company, Sacambaya Films. She submitted her concept to the NFVF’s (National Film & Video Foundation) “Not What Society Expects” disability grant—and was selected as one of four recipients. This year, she is producing her first professional short film, ThisAbility.
THE FUTURE
Vicki recently completed the first draft of her updated memoir and a new devotional book. She’s currently working on two more devotional books, developing two TV series set in Jeffrey’s Bay, as well as a feature film and a television presenting series. Her journey is just beginning—and her story is far from over.