Ranokanyane CJSS throws party for orphans

MONKAGEDI GAOTLHOBOGWE
Staff Writer | Wednesday March 24, 2010 00:00

Brian Setlalekgosi, Chairperson of the Ranokanyane HIV/AIDS Awareness club said;  'Our aim is to help the less fortunate children in our community. Ever since this club was formed in 2000, we have been holding a luncheon annually for the orphans in our catchment area'.

'Our objective this year was to organise a party for our friends here at SOS.  We have made this day possible by raising funds through selling snacks to the student community and also through donation forms. Our teachers also helped us by contributing money towards the event. We wanted to put a smile on these beautiful faces you see in front of us', said Setlalekgosi.

He said his group is committed towards sharing information about HIV and AIDS with the children at SOS children's village.'We take vision 2016 seriously and we are guided by the pillar that says we should be a compassionate, just and caring nation.

This pillar is our guide and it teaches us that as young people growing up, we should share and care for the less fortunate in our community as this will make us better people when we grow up', the young chairman said.

SOS Village director, Molefe Madikwe said the centre looks after children ranging from five months to 15 years of age. He explained that they have a daycare centre at the village that caters for the young ones and once these children graduate from the centre, they proceed to government schools.

He revealed that some of the children are now working as soldiers, teachers and police officers. Madikwe highlighted lack of funds as one of the challenges they face in taking care of children under their protection.

In presenting gifts to the SOS village, Ranokanyane CJSS head, Gabalape.M Autlwetse described the pupils at her school as Vision 2016 compliant: ' A compassionate, just and caring group, who are not only thinking of being educated and informed. They felt that they needed to reach out and touch the lives of these children at the SOS village. It is our hope that every other person, community and the nation will see the need to touch lives and impact positively on the lives of the less privileged in the society', Autlwetse said.