MARCH • education
31 2013
than a thousand little people with big hearts helped make life a little bit easier for Chatsworth’s Cheshire Home residents this week.
During morning assembly on Monday, pupils who attend Durban’s Addington Primary School handed over a cheque for R10 000 to representatives of the home, which provides residential accommodation for adults and children with disabilities.
The school itself often relies on outside sponsorships for its needs. The pupils raised the money through various fundraisers, including a “Friendship Week” ball which was held during Valentine’s week last month.
Acting school principal Raj Moodley said the children’s efforts were inspired by the school’s aim “to teach our children to give and to show others that they care”.
The fundraising effort was part of the school’s annual tradition of dedicating the first term of the year to helping another organisation in need.
On hearing about how much the children had raised, First National Bank’s KwaZulu-Natal provincial commercial banking head Preggie Pillay decided to match their effort by donating R10 000 to the school on behalf of his bank.
Pillay said he had been inspired to do so because “it’s encouraging to see how these youngsters have overcome their own challenges and have worked towards achieving their goals of raising these funds”.
Pillay said he hoped that they would continue to make an effort to make a difference in the lives of others.
Khethelo Doncabe, 16, who has sclerosis of the spine and has lived at the Cheshire Home since he was a baby, thanked the assembly of children on behalf of the home.
“I want to thank every single one of you for this. It’s really touching for us … and we hope to give back to you too,” he said.
Doncabe added that the residents appreciated the monthly visits the children made.
Adelaide Nkomo, 12, was one of the pupils who presented the cheque on behalf of her peers.
She said she “felt happy” for the children at the home and enjoyed “sharing love” with them.
“We make them feel like our best friends and part of our Addington family. I like to go there because the children at the home make us feel happy to visit.”
Chatsworth Cheshire Home matron Amrabathy Naidoo said management had yet to decide what the money would be used on, as there were many urgent needs.
Naidoo said finances were needed for utilities, food and clothing, as well as the costs of maintaining and improving the home’s wheelchairfriendly facilities.