Christmas gifts for young woman
A YOUNG woman who lost both her parents several years ago fought back tears of joy when church leaders and taxi operators visited her modest Libode home yesterday bearing Christmas gifts.
The pupil, 20 – who asked that her name not be published – stays with a family of the same clan name as her late father.
Her foster parents are both unemployed and the family relies on the father’s pension money and childsupport grants to survive.
Her late mother, who was disabled and walked on crutches for many years, died when she was 12. She took care of her mother on her own until she died.
In 2011 she quit school, and found work as a domestic worker in Mthatha before taking the plunge and deciding to go back to school.
Yesterday, a motorcade carrying church members, municipal officials and Uncedo Service Taxi Association members arrived at her foster parents’ home at Ntlangwini village to deliver groceries and a new school uniform.
Reverend Surgeon Boko, deputy chairman of the Council of Churches for the Nyandeni area, said he met her when the council was asked by the state to conduct prayer sessions in schools ahead of the Grade 12 final exams.
“Everywhere I went, I left my cell number. I was surprised to receive an SMS from this young girl detailing how she had lost both parents and asking that I help pray for her.”
Touched by her tragic story, Boko pleaded for donations during a prayer session held at another school.
Among those in attendance were the Uncedo chairman in Ntlaza, Thozamile Cikolo, who galvanised his association.
They bought groceries for the pupil while Boko and his wife bought her a new school uniform.
Cikolo yesterday revealed the association had spent almost R10 000 buying groceries for needy families in the area in recent weeks.
“The monies that enable us as taxi operators to buy food for our children comes from these very same communities. So we felt we needed to give some of that money back to the people.”
Nyandeni local municipal community services portfolio head Winile Ngaveli meanwhile praised the council and taxi association for their community spirit, saying many families in Nyandeni survived on government grants.