Boston students’ gifts make a difference in Alex
ALEXANDRA – Find out how a group of students from Sandton's Boston Media House are making a difference in Alexandra.
As part of their studies, a group of third-year public relations students from Boston Media House has started a campaign to give the children of Leratong Joy for One Foundation in Alexandra brand-new gifts.
The students, who refer to themselves as team Inspire 22, shared their initiative on Alex FM and appealed to the community to donate goods in amounts of 22, which they could add to the children’s ‘boxes of happiness’.
What started off as an assignment initially given to the students by their public relations lecturer, Claire Jackson-Bernardo, has become something the students have a great passion for. “I didn’t expect them to be as invested in the assignment as they are right now. They will stop at nothing to put smiles on the faces of these children and it makes me so proud,” she said.
The Leratong Joy for One Foundation houses 22 abandoned children ranging between the ages of eight and 18 who have been affected and infected by HIV and Aids.
The children are under the care of owner Mama Peggy Chauke, who provides as much as she can for them. Their visit to the radio station was to ask community members to help them fill 22 individual boxes, which already have a pair of shoes, a blanket and a bible.
The students also spoke about the difficulty of getting big organisations and businesses to support their initiative and have thus resorted to reaching out to willing community members to help with adding items to the boxes.
Team Inspire 22 indicated that they want to ensure children at the home get the best of everything in their boxes, as they seldom get anything brand new. The students have been doing everything they can to get goodies to fill these boxes.
They have hosted a number of on-campus activations in an effort to raise money to add more goods. These on-campus activations included a successful talent show, a soccer day, a Fifa gaming competition and a raffle to get students on their campus involved as well.
The aim is to make the boxes as special as possible, thus the urgent cry for the community to donate any goods or money towards their cause.
“We will stop at nothing to achieve our goal of bringing happiness to the children of Leratong, no matter what it takes,” said one of the members live on air.
Details: @BMHSandton; bostoninspires22@gmail.com
