Charity begins at home for Curro Douglasdale learners
Matteo Williams and Mikhali were encouraged by their moms to challenge themselves with charity drives for every month of 2024.
When Matteo Williams and Mikhali Maharaj’s mothers told them about the impact of lending a helping hand in the community, they took it upon themselves to put words into action through charity drives they do every month.
This after they realised that many people needed food and charity was the best option to assist. They chose The Kids Haven, an organisation that encourages people to donate and give the donated parcels to people in need.
Mikhali explained, “We have realised how privileged we are and how much we have. We want to help other children who have very little.
“Doing charity work allows us to be part of a larger community to make a difference in society. We feel empowered to be agents of change, fighting to solve social, environmental, and humanitarian issues.
“We decided to find a charity we can get involved in and make a difference to our community. We knew we wanted to do something special with children. Therefore, every month for the rest of the year we will be doing something different to assist the children from the organisation.”
Matteo feels grateful for the support that their family and friends show in what they do.
“It is important to my family and me because it makes people happy, and we want everyone to be treated the same way and feel good. I love to help others and it’s a great way to spend time with my friends. It is also cool to learn and meet new people.”
He added that their greatest challenge is finances because things are quite expensive in this challenging economy. However, Mikhail’s mom was able to get a sponsor from one of the retail shops to assist.
“We would love to see some of our local businesses getting involved. What helps us stay motivated is knowing that we are putting a smile on every child’s face and providing simple things like food, toiletries, or a sweet treat means so much to the children. Knowing we are making a difference in their lives.
Mikhali said, “We want to help children. They are the future of South Africa. Many of the children at Kids Haven don’t have parents; we want to encourage them and help them get through this difficult time. The Kids Haven is a non-profit organisation that truly needs support from the community.”
For March, the duo is hard at work collecting chocolate Easter Bunnies, chocolate hollow eggs, and marshmallows to make up 200 Easter hampers for the 158 full-time kids, 38 preschoolers, and dedicated volunteers.
“We will be spending the day [March 23] at the Kids Haven giving out the hampers, making lunch for the children, and having some exciting activities planned with the children,” Mikhali added.
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