After boy’s innocent question, 1,000 Easter eggs collected for underprivileged
The innocence of a child inspired a Gqeberha mother to spoil hundreds of underprivileged children with a sweet treat for Easter, after collecting more than 1,000 Easter eggs to distribute among four of the Friendly City’s children’s homes.
After picking up her son from school in January, Morningside resident Porsché Booysen, 35, decided to make a difference in the lives of 200 impoverished children — her motivation a simply question from her son: “Mommy why are the children asking for food, why don’t they go home?”
The Triomf Primary School teacher then posted a request on WhatsApp and donations started to flood in, with 31 boxes of marshmallow Easter eggs and speckled eggs donated, totalling 1,044 Easter eggs.
“I was driving home with Malachi from school, when he asked me those questions.
“I told him, ‘those children are not as fortunate as you’ .I asked him ‘do you want to do something good to help children on the street’ and he said ‘yes’,” Booysen said.
Booysen, her husband Alister, 40, and their three sons Zaheer, 15, Malachi, 6, and Micah, 2, made up the parcels which were delivered this week to MTR Children’s home, SOS Children’s Home, Thandusana Safe Home and EP Children’s Home.
“I told the children on Tuesday that it was not about being seen, but to understand that we needed to give so that we can receive God’s blessings.
“When the Easter eggs started arriving, Malachi wanted to eat them. I had to remind him they were not for us.
“When we arrived with the parcels, one child asked: ‘are those Easter eggs for us?’ I was happy because we had achieved our goal,” Booysen said.
Her sons helped to hand out the packages. Zaheer said he was inspired to do a similar donation in the future.
SOS Children’s Village team leader Mandy Spies said the donation had given them a warm feeling, especially at this time of the year.
“It is good to know that the community opened their hearts to our children.
“It really touches our hearts to have that kind of support.
“During Covid-19 it was very quiet for us; we are seeing things pick up.
“We are hoping we will have a bit more, because we have over 80 children this Easter.
“They would really appreciate any kind of treat or maybe even an outing for Easter to keep them entertained,” Spies said.