500 excited laaities will arrive at school bright-eyed and bushy-tailed tomorrow after two NGOs kitted them out for the new academic year.
On Sunday, the children received school clothes, bags and stationery from the Shirley Helping Hand and LCS (Loving Caring Sharing) non-profit organisations.
The kids gathered at Ashley Court in Scottsdene and waited with bated breath as the items were laid out on tables from where their parents could check for sizes and so on.
Lecille Pool from Shirley’s Giving Hands says together with generous sponsors, they’ve been collecting since last year.
“We are very glad to join up with LCS to gladden the hearts of these children,” she says.
“We gave them clothing, backpacks and stationery including books that were donated by our sponsors including Checkers, Food Lovers Market, Carmen Stephens Foundation and Ladles of Love.
“We asked the community and Kraailove organisation to assist with handing out, and want to say thank you to the ward councillor and ‘Jou Ma se Stasie’ for lending a helping hand today.
She says looking at the number of people who arrived for the donations, it is clear there is a big need in Scottsdene: “A lot of these parents were stressing out about the start of school, as they are sukkeling financially, not only due to Covid, but also because of general poverty.’
Dad Ocasia Booysen, 32, says the donations could not have come at a better time.
“January is a difficult month for everyone, and we are very grateful for all of this.
“The lockdown hit us hard, but now our kids can at least start school on a high note this year,” he says.
Mom Wieland Williams adds: “This is a great blessing and my son can hold his head high when he starts Grade 1 at Cavaleiria Primary School on Wednesday with his new clothing bag and books.”
Mom of two Claudene Petersen, 55, says she did not expect the donations.
“We all received a big surprise. Thank you to these organisations for looking out for our children. They even gave our children koekies. My moederhart is baie bly vandag,” she says.