Umkkhumbi Place of Safety and Children’s Home in partnership with Ibandla Lika Kristu church went on a charitable spree on Wednesday morning, donating gloves, scarfs and bennies to needy learners at six schools in Mamelodi East and West and also in Leeufontein.
The partnership between Umkkhumbi Place of Safety and Children’s Home and Ibandla Lika Kristu saw 5 700 beanies, gloves and scarfs being handed to learners at Pula-Difate, Zaminithuthuko, Mahlasedi Masana, Balebogeng, Leeufontein primary schools.
There were happy faces and tears of joy among the learners and teachers at the above-mentioned schools when Umkkhumbi place of safety and childrens home and Ibandla Lika Kristu handed the needy learners the said items.
“The idea behind this donation drive was conceptualized two months ago,” said Sello Mashula known as Shulas Director of the Umkkhumbi Place of Safety and Children’s Home.
“Initially we had targeted 500 learners at two schools, but with the grace of the Lord, we met leaders of Ibandla Lika Kristu who helped us to gather the 5 700 gloves, scarfs, beanies and hats that we are giving away today,” said Mashula.
He said though they didn’t have lots of resources to give away, they are happy with the little that they have managed to amass.
Mashula told Tshwane Talks that the idea of donating scarfs, hats, beanies and gloves stems from the realization that these are the clothing items that learners need the mist during these cold winter days.
“It is already a norm in our society for Good Samaritans in the community to donate school shoes to learners, so we decided that we must instead focus on the winter season, hence we are donating these items today,” he said.
Shulas revealed that since 2009 he has been buying school shoes for learners in the different schools of Mamelodi on his birthday.
Treasurer of Ibandla Lika Kristu Church Gladwin Mnguni told Tshwane Talks that they were approached by Umkhumbi Director Sello Mashula regarding the winter drive initiative and they as a church liked the idea instantly.
“We as the church are persuaded to join Mashula in this initiative because he does it out of love for those who are in need in the community,”
He said though Mashula had initially aimed at handing out the said items to needy learners only, the church decided that the winter clothing items should be handed out to all learners at any given schools to avoid a situation whereby those who have not received the new items would envy those who have received them.
“You know how children are like.
Those who have received the new clothing items would obviously brag at those who haven’t received these items,” he said
Mnguni said Ibandla Lika Kristu will continue with the winter drive initiative and will also include full school uniforms for needy learners in different schools in and around Mamelodi.
Principal of Balebogeng Primary School Mashadi Khoza said it was really an honour to be chosen as one of the schools to receive such a wondrous gift for all learners at the school.
“We have about 1 150 learners at our school and every learner will get these winter clothing items,” she said.
“We are very grateful to our donors for appreciating what taking care of a child really means,”
Principal of Zaminthuthuko Primary School Makoti Maisela said: “We are very glad about the donation from IbandlaLika Kristu Church and Umkhumbi Place of Safety because an African child will at least have something warm to wear,” she said.
“We have 540 learners and all of them have managed to get the donated bennies and gloves and no more color blocking,” she said.
Pula-Difate Primary School principal Mavis Mahlobogoane told Tshwane Talks that during winter they see different colours of clothing items, which mess up the school’s uniform, but that the donated winter clothing items will make learners look the same.
“Thanks to our donors and may God bless them, and we believe that heaven is made of people like them,” she said.
“All our 752 learners will be warm this winter,” said Mahlobogoane.