This 12-year-old boy scout from Seawinds is getting ready to host a play date with about 500 kids in his community on Saturday.
Darren van der Merwe, a learner at Sullivan Primary School, in Steenberg wants to give children “an adventure”.
He is now looking for people to sponsor bread, cheese, polony, and mayonnaise for sandwiches.
Darren is the leader of the Buffalo Patrol at 1st Steenberg Scouts, and his mother, Rayleigh, 35, says she is proud of his initiative.
“He came to me out of the blue one day and said he wants to raise funds to feed the community. I said ‘OK, what can I do to help?’” she says.
“We scraped together money to buy a pot of akhni, and he used that money to buy porridge to serve to children and adults one morning.
“Since then, he has never stopped.”
On the day before Good Friday, Darren and three other scouts had a soup kitchen in their driveway, feeding more than 200 people.
For his latest initiative, he wrote a letter to various shops asking for sponsorships and received a reply from Pick 'n Pay Constantia which is supplying juice, and another business that is providing two jumping castles for the day.
The fun begins at noon at the park in St Regis Street.
Darren says: “There is almost nothing for children in our area to do. I want them to have a day of play, so they can be kids again. Today’s youth is tomorrow’s future.”
INITIATIVE: Darren recently hosted a kids’ soup kitchen
Rayleigh says they still need bottled water, a popcorn machine, as well as plates and cups.
“In the morning, Darren and his friends will clean up the park first and then they will set up for the day. There will be something to eat, and soccer, cricket, hula hoops and kennetjie.”
If you would like to assist with the fun day and Darren’s Dream, call his mother on 074 703 3358 or 021 930 2691.