Raising funds for school shoes
SISTER Zinhle Ndlovu walked barefoot across rough, stony dirt roads every day to get an education.
As the kilometres passed underfoot, she dreamed of starting her own foundation to help needy children with school shoes and make a change in her community.
The harsh conditions in rural Nkandla did not discourage her from pursuing and achieving her dreams.
Ndlovu, 29, is now a registered nurse working in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) at Netcare Kingsway Hospital, eManzimtoti, and has started the Sinomusa Sonke Foundation, using her own savings, to try to ease the journey of other schoolchildren and encourage them to go to school.
Ndlovu believes that giving is not just about making a donation, but about making a difference.
The aim of the foundation is to provide pupils in rural schools with school shoes. The dedicated nurse, all too familiar with the long, painful
walk, is doing what she can to address this challenge for hundreds of pupils.
Sinomusa Sonke means “we are
all kind and generous”. The name is a combination of her late mother’s name and that of her only daughter. She said strong women had been an inspiration all her life, recalling that as a young girl, her dream was to train as a nurse, as her grandmother had done before her. After completing her matric, she pursued this dream. The foundation was established in January 2018.
Ndlovu said there were thousands of children who found it difficult to overcome the physical challenges of getting to school, and many who were disheartened by the experience.
“I grew up in rural Nkandla as the first-born daughter of a polygamous family. My grandfather had three wives and 34 children, and many more grandchildren. He was the only provider in our family, so it was not an easy start in life,” said Ndlovu.
Ndlovu began the foundation with the help of her brother, Smanga Mhlongo, a teaching assistant who helps with collections and deliveries of donations, as well as friends and colleagues who helped with some of the administration and spreading the word while reaching into their own pockets to contribute.
“We have managed to provide about 100 pairs of shoes annually as well as other essential items such as soap, bath towels and sanitary pads. With these donations, we are able to give pupils a much-needed helping hand and a sense of dignity,” she said.
Sr Charrisa Haripersad, unit manager at Netcare Kingsway Hospital’s MICU, said Ndlovu was a highly valuable member of the team.
“Zinhle cares about social justice and improving the health and lives of others, which I am sure is why she embarked on this commendable project. We are certainly proud to have her on our team,” said Haripersad.
People interested in helping can contact Ndlovu at 072 067 5560. The foundation also accepts donations of pre-loved and non-perishable food items which will be supplied to families in need. With winter around the corner, they are keen to collect warmer clothes and blankets.
Donations of reading books would also be highly appreciated as one of Sinomusa Sonke’s aims is to constantly strive to enrich the minds of future generations.