Mandela Boys restore girls’ dignity
The Ekurhuleni Trek4Mandela Challenge team surpassed its target to help 500 underprivileged girls.
The team, comprising Sibusiso Vilane, Richard Mabaso and Joshua Awesome, sponsored by Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), summited Mount Killimanjaro in honour of former president, Dr Nelson Mandela while raising funds for sanitary towels for girls in identified areas of Ekurhuleni.
The team, dubbed the Mandela Boys, summited on July 18, the world icon’s birthday.
EMM’s spokesperson, Mr Samuel Modiba, said the team conquered the mountain, over 5 895 metres above sea level.
“This determination to accomplish the feat reflects Mandela’s resilience over adversity,” he said.
Sibusiso said that having fellow mountaineers associate the team with Madiba, brought a special feeling.
“People from other continents took a keen interest and asked us questions about Madiba’s health. They expressed their love for the icon and that moment was too great to trade for anything,” he said.
Richard said that the team had two aims and it achieved both.
“The team’s aim was not only to reach the peak but to raise funds to sponsor 500 underprivileged schoolgirls from areas in Ekurhuleni, Winnie Mandela and Zonkezizwe, through the provision of a year’s supply of sanitary towels. These will come with complete hygiene kits and educational manuals. This will be done in partnership with the Caring4girls Foundation,” Richard said.
His fellow mountaineer, Joshua, thanked those who sponsored the team’s mission.
““We have been able to raise more than what we expected. We can now sponsor more than 500 girls and this is thanks to the good hearts of South Africans and the support from the media,” he said.
Mr Modiba said that the metro is ready to distribute the toiletries.
“This is an urgent matter which seeks to restore the dignity of the girls as well as to ensure that there are no girls that will miss a week of school every month because they don’t have the required necessities,” he said.
Mr Modiba added that organisations, which are interested in joining the partnership, can still contact the metro by sending an e-mail to Mr Themba Gadebe on Themba.Gadebe@ekurhuleni.gov.za
