More than 900 pupils from local primary schools received bags and stationery from Siyanceda Africa Relief Outreach Ministry at the Extension 6 Indoor Sport Centre on Tuesday.
More than 900 pupils from local primary schools received bags and stationery from Siyanceda Africa Relief Outreach Ministry at the Extension 6 Indoor Sport Centre on Tuesday.
Children from 11 primary schools – DD Siwisa, NV Cewu, Ntaba Maria, Good Shepherd, St Mary's, George Dickerson, Grahamstown Primary, CM Vellem, Samuel Ntsiko, Samuel Ntlebi and PJ Olivier – filled the venue with song, as they waited for an address by Sarom organiser, Noxolo Njengele.
After hundreds of bags and stationery were handed out, Samuel Ntlebi Primary School principal, Dumakazi Myemane, said, “There will be no child who will be laughed at now." He was referring to the fact that some pupil who had proper school bags discriminated against those carrying plastic bags.
George Dickerson Grade 5 pupil, Asemahle Ndawuzonke, said it felt good to know that there were people who cared for them. "I'm surprised that the are people who give school bags without asking for money,” she said.
Likho Mlombi, a Grade 3 pupil at Samuel Ntlebi said, “I used to carry my books in a plastic bag, and I didn't like it, because other children laughed at me." Sarom, a non-profit organisation that helps orphans in the East London area, was founded in 1998.
They had decided to extend their assistance to children in other towns, such as Grahamstown, Peddie and King William's Town," said the organisation's Karin Van der Merwe. “We found our support from local and international Christians, who donated what they had,” she said.
