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Teachers face the reality that a significant number of learners at schools in a deprived environment fail to perform according to their given potential. This is related to South Africa's history of apartheid and the environmental deprivation of learners in the townships. The essential ingredient in personal development, namely, motivation, is lacking in many secondary school learners. The burning question is how to motivate these learners in order to open up a future to them to which they can look forward. The aim of the study was therefore to explore whether learners are 'at risk' with regard to motivation when they find themselves in a deprived environment; and to provide guidelines to teachers to better deal with these learners and improve the outcome of their education for the future. In order to achieve this, a qualitative research design was used. Data were collected by means of focus group interviews and participants were included in the sample through purposive sampling. Data analysis was done from the transcriptions of audiotape recordings. Ethical measures were adhered to and the data were verified, using specific criteria for ensuring trustworthiness and authenticity. The findings are presented as three major themes, with categories and subcategories. Guidelines based on these findings are recommended for teachers to motivate deprived learners towards a brighter future.