New premises needed for initiative to grow.
ONE of two women who started a project in Mdantsane in 2009 to provide clothes for children coming from impoverished families said they were still going strong and now needed proper premises to run the operation.
Nokuphumla Gamnca, an unemployed housewife from Mdantsane, is one part of the duo that the Daily Dispatch reported on in 2009 when they “adopted” 180 pupils from Zanokhanyo Lower primary school in NU 6. They started by collecting food and clothes from community members able to make donations and gave them to the children.
Gamnca had been partnered by Phumza Dyosi, who has since moved on after finding employment at an old age home. The women had been struck by the fact that half the children in their community rely on the school nutritional programme for food.
With Dyosi gone, Gamnca now works with Nomava Sizathu and Nolwando Mtyuthu.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, she said they were running out of storage space for the the parcels and donations received.
“My lounge is flooded with all the things we get from sponsors so we really need a shelter that we will use to keep our gifts, keep records and files that are important and also we need a space that people can identify with our work,” said Gamnca. “The school does not mind letting us use their facilities, but to show growth we need our own space.”
She said a number of individuals and businesses had supported the initiative since they started.
“Just last month we gave out food parcels at the school thanks to SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) and there are other organisations around East London and even in the Western Cape that help us out with school uniforms and clothes for the children,” she said.
Gamnca said she would continue with the project for as long as possible because it was an issue close to her heart.
“Children are precious and it is not fair that they must suffer just because of their families’ background or situation. Helping a child in need is the greatest gift I have ever given myself and I hope that other people will catch on to the gift of giving,” she said.
Zanokhanyo primary school principal Vuyiswa Mbuthuma said they appreciated the assistance and it has greatly benefited the children and their families.
“We have a lot of children who that are in serious need of basics such as a proper meal and decent clothes; which is sometimes because a child is an orphan or the situation back at home is a dire and needy one,” said Mbuthuma. “The food parcels are helpful in that they do not only help the child but they benefit the child’s entire family.”
Mbuthuma said the project had also bridged the gap between children who have and those who do not.
“Children discriminate against each other regardless of the fact that they are still young. They have the ability to make each other feel bad because of what they have or don’t. So at least through the clothes donation a child can come to school with their head held high because they are not wearing a torn shirt anymore or torn up shoes,” she said. — zipon@dispatch.co.za
Clothing project for kids is thriving
ONE of two women who started a project in Mdantsane in 2009 to provide clothes for children coming from impoverished families said they were still going strong and now needed proper premises to run the operation.
Nokuphumla Gamnca, an unemployed housewife from Mdantsane, is one part of the duo that the Daily Dispatch reported on in 2009 when they “adopted” 180 pupils from Zanokhanyo Lower primary school in NU 6. They started by collecting food and clothes from community members able to make donations and gave them to the children.
Gamnca had been partnered by Phumza Dyosi, who has since moved on after finding employment at an old age home. The women had been struck by the fact that half the children in their community rely on the school nutritional programme for food.
With Dyosi gone, Gamnca now works with Nomava Sizathu and Nolwando Mtyuthu.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, she said they were running out of storage space for the the parcels and donations received.
“My lounge is flooded with all the things we get from sponsors so we really need a shelter that we will use to keep our gifts, keep records and files that are important and also we need a space that people can identify with our work,” said Gamnca. “The school does not mind letting us use their facilities, but to show growth we need our own space.”
She said a number of individuals and businesses had supported the initiative since they started.
“Just last month we gave out food parcels at the school thanks to SASSA (South African Social Security Agency) and there are other organisations around East London and even in the Western Cape that help us out with school uniforms and clothes for the children,” she said.
Gamnca said she would continue with the project for as long as possible because it was an issue close to her heart.
“Children are precious and it is not fair that they must suffer just because of their families’ background or situation. Helping a child in need is the greatest gift I have ever given myself and I hope that other people will catch on to the gift of giving,” she said.
Zanokhanyo primary school principal Vuyiswa Mbuthuma said they appreciated the assistance and it has greatly benefited the children and their families.
“We have a lot of children who that are in serious need of basics such as a proper meal and decent clothes; which is sometimes because a child is an orphan or the situation back at home is a dire and needy one,” said Mbuthuma. “The food parcels are helpful in that they do not only help the child but they benefit the child’s entire family.”
Mbuthuma said the project had also bridged the gap between children who have and those who do not.
“Children discriminate against each other regardless of the fact that they are still young. They have the ability to make each other feel bad because of what they have or don’t. So at least through the clothes donation a child can come to school with their head held high because they are not wearing a torn shirt anymore or torn up shoes,” she said. — zipon@dispatch.co.za
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