A Parkwood mother who lost her home in a devastating fire celebrated her daughter’s 10th birthday in their new home, thanks to a donor who read their story in the Daily Voice.
Aretha Minnies, 42, along with her daughter, Aniqah, and five-year-old son, Zhandre, walked into their new Nutec home over the weekend after months of living with relatives.
In July, the mentally disabled mom and her two children were forced to flee with nothing but the clothes on their backs when a fire engulfed their Wendy house in Willow Road.
At the time, ouma Abigail Minnies, 62, told the Daily Voice that Aretha was bathing shortly after 11pm when she smelled smoke and rushed to the aid of her children.
She explained that a faulty plug appeared to have sparked the blaze.
The next day Aretha and her kids could be seen desperately rummaging through the debris.
Abigail says a day after their plea for help was published in the Daily Voice, she was contacted by a local construction company who offered to help them rebuild.
“We were called by Sakh’iKhaya who told us they want to build a Nutec home for them.
“We couldn’t believe it and they came to see us,” she says.
Sakh’iKhaya operational manager, Arion Naidoo, says the picture is what tugged at their heartstrings.
“My brother, Michael, who is the general manager, saw the article and the picture showing them standing there is what really got to us,” he says.
“We thought we needed to do something to help so we decided to build a new Nutec home for them to give them shelter.
“The materials alone cost R50 000 and we started in August; at this stage it is not completely furnished and they are still in need of smaller items like bedding and so on.
“We are glad we could do something to help them get back on their feet.”
Abigail says the excited children couldn’t wait to enter their new home as Aniqah celebrated her 10th birthday.
“They were so excited and as a family we are so grateful.
“Aniqah turned 10 on Sunday and she celebrated her birthday in her new home after months of living with me all cramped in one house,” she says.
“I am so grateful to the people of Parkwood who came out to douse the fire before the firefighters arrived and to the Daily Voice who came to write our story and listened to us.”