INSPIRING others while raising funds for those in need is no small feat. But through sheer determination, a positive attitude and a strong sense of responsibility, a Grade 10 class at Northlands Girls’ High school managed to raise more than R2 300 for the Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa (CHOC).
The altruistic pupils showed no mercy as they raffled tickets to fellow pupils and staff for a sponsored photo shoot (valued at R1 500) with local photographer, Catherine Basson. “We harassed every single person we could think of,” laughed Zintle Mayaphi, as she told the Northglen News about their fundraising efforts.
According to Mayaphi and fellow fundraising pupils, the aim of the project was not only to raise funds but also to empower women.
“The idea behind the photo shoot was to make the winner feel special, to improve her self esteem and to empower her. Every woman has the right to feel beautiful and special, and we wanted to facilitate that,” explained Mayaphi.
Anjalee Soni added that their selection of CHOC as their beneficiary was motivated by two aspects: “In the past we have raised funds for other organisations that focus on helping babies and children, such as the Domino Foundation, so we decided to focus on a similarly-deserving NPO. A cancer-related NPO was selected, as we had recently experienced the loss of staff member at the school due to cancer – Mrs Margie Devine. We somehow wanted to honour her in the project,” she said.
In the spirit of true leadership, the pupils hoped that their efforts would build on the future of the nation. “Our hope is that our funds will not only help to provide young cancer patients with a chance of a healthy normal life, but will also help them to reach their full potential. They could be our future doctors or engineers,” said Mayaphi.
