Borolong youth donate to orphans

PINI BOTHOKO
Correspondent | Wednesday August 29, 2012 00:00

The MP for Tonota North, Fidelis Molao, graced the occasion when the donation, which comprised 24 pairs of shoes and bundles of clothing in two boxes, were handed over by a representative of the youth, Malebogo Bochena to the school's senior guidance teacher Segametsi Mbulawa and a member of the school's Guidance Committee Ikgopoleng Maganu.

In an interview with Mmegi, Bochena said she first broached the idea of the donation one particularly wintry morning in June when she saw several pupils coming to school without adequate clothing. 'It was in one of those extremely cold mornings two months or so ago as I was driving to work when I saw shivering children walking barefoot to school,' she said. 'As the mother of a five-year-old boy, the sight of those poorly-dressed children troubled me and I thought something should be done about it.

'Several youth in the village latched on to the idea and suggested we start donating P10 or more every Sunday to raise money to purchase clothes for the orphans in the school.' The 34-year old teacher said she belonged to a generation of women that still regarded themselves as the mothers of all the children in the community.

'In July, we organised a back-to-school bash at Crops Bar to raise more money,' she continued. 'The people who came to the party were really big-hearted with their donations and made it possible for us to buy clothes for the children. '

Another member of the committee, Tebo Ramaotwana, said he did not hesitate to participate in the project as soon as Bochena told him about it. 'I told her about this place where the village's youth meet on Sundays to socialise and play beach volleyball,' Ramaotwana said. 'We approached them and they embraced the idea.

Ramaotwana, who works for Standard Chartered Bank, took the idea to her colleagues at work. In time the staff social club raised P1,000 which, together with P800 raised at the back-to-school bash, made a fairly neat sum.

'Our staff social club used the money to buy school shoes and clothes for the primary school pupils,' said Ramaotwana. 'This was the beginning; we want to continue helping the children.' Mbulawa too wants the project to continue. 'We are going to celebrate this donation some time in November,' she said. 'More importantly, we intend approaching more companies about helping these children further.

The MP, Fidelis Molao, who had quite a time playing volleyball with the youth in his constituency, promised to donate 'to this good cause' again.