Restoring the dignity of impoverished children through simple acts such as providing proper shoes is what Nkosinathi Sikobi strives to do.
Self-employed Duncan Village-born Sikobi, a director at VPhiwe Solar, a renewable energy company, started Sakhisizwe, a non-profit organisation in 2013 to uplift children and residents of the township.
Sakhisizwe, which is based in Duncan Village, ensures pupils from the community have school uniforms and shoes, and that the elderly have an opportunity to enjoy their old age through special outings.
“People in Duncan Village are living below the poverty line...The area is in dire need of people to avail their time to the children and the elderly, so they can see beyond the poverty they are living in, and so they can know that they are not confined to Duncan Village, but can be whatever they want to be and go anywhere they want to go,” said Sikobi.
He collects clothes for children and the elderly from friends and family, and has facilitated sponsorships from companies such as the Billion Group, which donated school shoes in January.
“We were able to give about 400 pupils new school shoes across five primary schools in the destitute township, through sponsorship from the group.
“This was the second time the group had responded to my cry for assistance in needy areas.”
Yesterday, Sikobi delivered eight pairs of shoes to Enkazimulweni Ncedanani Life Centre after making a promise to the home last year. “The centre is very close to my home and I had asked them what their biggest need was, and they requested school shoes because the children’s shoes had been completely worn out.”
Nonkululeko Maneli, the founder of the centre, said she was relieved Sikobi had fulfilled his promise as school shoes were worn daily and wore out quickly. “I am humbled by his honouring of his promise.”
Sikobi is now trying to find sponsors “to help us host recreational activities for the elderly regularly... Most of the elderly in the area are forced to look after their grandchildren, adopting parenting roles they had thought they were past.”