Aadilah Maker Diderrick demonstrates resilience and an active stance, helping communities in South Africa make informed decisions about their health, having come from the difficulties of District Six to combating alcohol harm in the region.
When Diderrick discusses what shaped her professional path, she begins not with education or career, but with childhood, when inequality was not an abstract concept but a daily reality for her family. Born in District Six, her family was forcibly relocated to Mitchells Plain, where she witnessed how inequality affected people's lives. These experiences ultimately led her to work in public health and human rights advocacy.
Currently, 58-year-old Diderrick serves as the Secretary General of the South African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA). She works in countries such as Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, promoting evidence-based alcohol policies aimed at reducing harm and protecting vulnerable families.
Diderrick recalls how her life changed: 'I had a disabled brother who lacked access to facilities. This was compounded by the fact that I grew up in Mitchells Plain, where the girls I went to school with started pregnant early,' she shared. Furthermore, meeting people living with HIV during university studies, when Sean Mellors, who lives with HIV and AIDS, spoke before their psychology class, strengthened her resolve to address the social and environmental factors influencing people's health and choices.
Life Experience
For over three decades, Diderrick has dedicated herself to working in sexual and reproductive health, HIV and AIDS, child and youth development, gender equality, and violence prevention. She holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of New South Wales in Australia.
One of her most significant achievements is participating in the development of the multimedia program Soul Buddyz. When children across South Africa adopted the pilot project, it led to the creation of Soul Buddyz clubs that continue to have an impact today. Diderrick notes: 'When we tested the pilot project, children across South Africa asked to join. We never planned to create a club, but this reaction led to the establishment of Soul Buddyz clubs nationwide.' She emphasizes that even now adults tell her about the significance of Soul Buddyz in their lives, reminding them of the possibilities these programs offer children.
Despite her successes, Diderrick believes that becoming a leader first required learning to believe in her own voice. She acknowledges that one of the main challenges for a Black female leader was developing self-confidence. Apartheid affected the self-esteem of many people, and since English was her second language, she had to work hard to gain the confidence to speak in academic and professional circles.
More than three decades later, this belief continues to guide her work in public health human rights advocacy. She asserts that 'change is a long-term project. The life of every person you touch creates a domino effect. When people tell me our work changed their lives, it reminds me why this work is important.'
Fighting Alcohol Harm Through Policy
These life experiences now define the issue that takes up most of her time—reducing the harm associated with alcohol consumption in South Africa. As Secretary General of SAAPA, Diderrick advocates for stricter alcohol policies, considering it one of the most preventable public health issues in the region.
She points out that throughout South Africa, alcohol is widely available in residential areas, and this availability is too often poorly regulated. Children are exposed to alcohol on their way to school, neighbors sell it from their homes, and many grow up seeing harmful consumption as the norm. Over time, this shapes their own choices. The consequences go far beyond simple alcohol consumption: 'Alcohol diverts money from household needs, contributes to gender-based violence, and exposes children to violence, creating long-term consequences for families.'
Her work is research-based. Diderrick is a co-principal investigator of a cross-sectional study examining the link between alcohol availability and gender-based violence. She also co-authored a paper published in 2025 concerning the alcohol industry's role in delaying the adoption of amendments to South Africa's liquor laws. She is convinced that scientific data, not commercial interests, should dictate alcohol policy.
Diderrick insists that South Africa must adopt evidence-based alcohol policy, as legislation and public health programs must be guided by science. She criticizes advertising, stating that 'the alcohol industry should not regulate its own advertising. Advertising six-packs and 'two-for-one' promotions promotes a culture of consumption that is unhealthy and fuels the culture of binge drinking that we particularly observe in South Africa. No advertising campaign informs women that every drink they consume increases their risk of breast cancer.'
Diderrick emphasized that independent regulation would better protect consumers.
Putting People First
One of the outcomes of her recent research left a deep impression after the interview concluded. She was surprised that people spoke about constant noise and lack of sleep due to the operation of alcohol establishments in residential areas. She noted that prolonged sleep deprivation in children and adults negatively affects both physical and mental health.
Diderrick admits that balancing a demanding career in human rights advocacy with family life has not always been easy. She says, 'At night, you need to set a quitting time. Understanding your partner helps. I also made sure my children understood what the next two weeks would look like and what my work required, and I still do this, even though they are older.'
On the occasion of South African Women's Month, Diderrick sees it as an opportunity to acknowledge progress made while reflecting on the work ahead. She concludes: 'It is an opportunity to affirm oneself and others, to celebrate positive changes, and to reflect.'
From a childhood shaped by forced removals and inequality to influencing public health policy across South Africa, Diderrick has built a career on the conviction that sustainable change begins when people are given the opportunity to make conscious choices about their own lives. Her goal is to help create conditions where people and communities can independently make informed decisions about their lives, and the role of professionals is to support communities so they can lead the change themselves.
