The drive has been an ongoing initiative for the past five years, and this year has been the most successful thus far. Shoppers generously donated new and used stationery in bins located around the mall.
These donations went to the Thembelenkosini Care Givers in Senaoane, Soweto.
Thembelenkosini is a registered non-profit organisation and their mission is to physically, emotionally, creatively and intellectually enhance the lives of children in the community of Senaoane. Many of these children are orphaned and, to them, Thembelenkosini is not just a care facility, they rely on them for food, love and education to get through the school year.
Killarney Mall supplemented the stationery collected by purchasing notebooks, pens, pencils, rulers, scissors, colouring pencils, writing paper, pencil cases and more, valued at over R20 000.
This year Octodec, owners of Killarney Mall, supplemented the stationery donations with large supplies of basic food including, samp, maize meal, rice, soya mince and other necessities to assist the institution to provide daily meals for the children.
Representatives from Killarney Mall were there recently to hand over boxes of books, files, stationery and food to the children of Thembelenkosini. The children were filled with joy when they received their new full pencil cases, notebooks, pencil crayons and books to fill their library, kindly donated by Killarney Mall shoppers.
After an afternoon of singing and dancing, they were further surprised with sweets and chocolates, sponsored by Octodec.
The drive is close to the heart of non-executive chairman of Octodec, Sharon Wapnick, who was present on the day to facilitate the handover. Wapnick was overwhelmed to see the grateful response from the Thembelenkosini children. On many occasions, the charity has fallen short of supplies and caregivers have had to dig into their own pockets to assist.
The Stationery Drive will continue once again at Killarney Mall from November.
Details: www.killarneymall.co.za
