Learners spread food, toiletries and kindness to west orphanage

Learners of the Hoërskool Hercules Interact Club teamed up to assist a local orphanage in the area that houses 18 children.

The learners donated boxes of non-perishable goods and toiletries to Indaba Zosindiso Orphanage in Elandspoort on September 19 as part of what they hope will be a fulfilling partnership.

English and Afrikaans teacher at Hoërskool Hercules, Tatenda Mwarira, says the club was founded in April.

The idea came about when she began donating sanitary pads to the female learners at the school.

“I started out donating sanitary pads to the girls when I started [teaching] at the school. Over time, more and more would come asking for pads and I couldn’t continue to afford them so I reached out to the school to organise Civvies Days where we would fundraise and help our learners where we could. So, that’s how the club came about and now we’ve branched out into the community,” says Mwarira.

The donation to the orphanage serves as the club’s first donation and before branching out to more areas, the aim is to help the home with the challenges it currently faces.

“I know what it feels like to not have. For three years of my life, I was raised by my grandmother and my parents were struggling. We also had people helping us, even though they may not even be in the family and it’s always uncomfortable having to ask, ‘Can you please help us with this, can you please help us with that’ you know. So, it’s a very good initiative to host, especially because it was a family that started this place, not like a big corporation or anything, it’s just a regular family. So I feel like they need our help,” Mwarira says.

The “mother” and founder of the orphanage, Gladness Cingo, says they face many challenges regarding space, gas, electricity, school uniforms and transportation.

“We decided to build this orphanage because where I was staying in Atteridgeville, there were many abandoned children and needy children that would roam the streets. I decided that I needed to help where I could. It was also my way of thanking God for all that he has provided me and my family,” says Cingo.

The orphanage was founded in 2008 and currently houses six boys and 12 girls aged 3-22. Four of the children attend crèche, while the rest attend school.

Cingo says the government assists with the school fees for the children, but they are struggling with uniforms and transportation costs.

“We need an extension of the structure because, according to the Social Development Department, we have to divide the children according to their ages and gender. We had a structure funded by the Methodist Church at Willows but we need another structure for their clothing because the house is crowded, you can imagine, for 18 children. Also the uniforms,” she says.
“The government is helping in terms of school fees, we don’t pay school fees for them but the uniforms, the petrol to take them to different schools, the gas in the kitchen and paying the electricity rates, as well as food.”

Cingo says the orphanage also receives assistance from Woolworths Atteridgeville with food, though their fridges are not functional and need replacing.

She expressed gratitude for the donations that the learners have made to the home.

“I haven’t enough words to express how thankful I am. I thank God because it’s not only them, it’s God working through them and may God continue to bless the school and all the people who donated. I hope the school partners with us in our journey going forward,” she says.

To donate or assist, residents can reach out to Hoërskool Hercules, or call the orphanage at 083 666 4156.

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