WINSTON Park resident, Justine Rae, is passionate about people, especially children, which is why she was chosen as one of the remarkable women in the Highway community.
Justine (34) read an article then went viral online about a Nigerian boy who had been abandoned on the streets of Nigeria for eight months. She said she became so emotional, really wanting to help and would have jumped on an aeroplane to Nigeria to help him, if she had not had obligations to her own family. This is when Justine decided that instead she could focus her energies on helping others in similar situations right here in KZN.
Justine began a small charity called Little One in March this year and the focus is on children, aged 0 to six. “I looked around me and realised that my community was not surrounded by this kind of poverty but there were areas just beyond that really needed help. I appealed to people from my community to donate their second-hand educational toys and clothing in good condition, for babies and children. I transferred sections of my home into a collection point and began sorting the items out,” said Justine.
She contacted Sibongile Groenink from Feed the Babies, who distributes food to 300 creches in KZN. Sibongile decided to pick a creche to be the recipient of Little One’s donations each month.
The school-specific collections range from educational toys, puzzles, books, crayons, toy motorbikes, educational material like alphabet charts, wall decor, mattresses, changing maps, toiletries for children, floor mats, plastic tables and chairs, blankets and more. The list is endless.
“These children have no stimulation and are so hungry to learn. This donation will help them to learn and adapt more easily and quickly. We have delivered toys and mattresses to seven rural creches so far and have visited hospitals such as St Mary’s Hospital to give bags of clothes and cuddly toys to those in the maternity wards and paediatric wards. We also visited RK Khan Hospital on 30 July and did the same. Most of our donations come from moms in the Upper Highway area but it would be great to spread the word,” said Justine.
She said between working as an audiologist at Parklands Hospital and having two children of her own, she understands fully what responsibilities women carry in society.
“I’ve seen so many children with so much potential but feel it’s all being wasted. That is why, as a mother and as a woman, I feel it is important that we set the foundations for our children, to encourage them to learn as much as they can, so that they can be able to lead one day. If they can’t read a book, what kind of future will they lead?” questioned Justine.
She believes that what she is doing is not a big deal but is hoping to be able to help all the creches in Inanda to be fully equipped one day. She also hoped to target local clinics in rural areas.
Her appeal to the community is for anyone who knows of a family with young children or a creche in the community in desperate need, to please let her know who they are and how to contact them, and she will do her best to help.
You can contact Justine via e-mail, justine_kool@hotmail.com or visit her Facebook page, Little One.
