Cell C Bring a Girl Child to Work initiative celebrated 15 years
FOURWAYS – Cell C celebrates 15 years of helping young girls realise their dreams, with icons such as Miss South Africa and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
Cell C’s Bring a Girl Child to Work Foundation celebrated 15 years of helping young girls realise their dreams, but not only realising them, but also equipping the girls with the necessary skills to attain those dreams.
The Waverly Girls Choir opened the event by singing the national anthem. Managing executive of the Cell C foundation, Suzette van der Merwe welcomed all and showed gratitude toward the esteemed guests, including Miss South Africa, alumni and Minister of Women in the Presidency Susan Shabangu. Van der Merwe shared her passion for women empowerment.
Tamsyn Lee Donnelly, alumni of the foundation and now an honorary medical student at the University of Witwatersrand, shared her remarkable testimony that brought many of the ladies to tears. Donnelly closed with inspiring words, “Do for one person what you would wish to do for the world.”
Read Empowering the girl child
Mentor, Faye Joubert spoke about how important it is to keep learning and that you cannot help someone if no one is helping you. Joubert highlighted the importance of learning from the people we surround ourselves with.
Miss South Africa 2017, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters stepped up to the podium and said, “I truly believe that every young girl has the right to a dream, but it is important to nurture and guide the raw talent of our country so we can all reach our full potential.”
Yvonne Chaka Chaka international singer and humanitarian entertained with an inspiring song that she wrote about female empowerment and equality. The crowd rose to their feet and applauded this inspiring, iconic figure. “She comes from the same poor and difficult background as many do, what an inspiration,” said Shabangu.
She continued to explain to the young school girls that achievement never ends and as soon as you think you’ve arrived, life will challenge you again. “It is our responsibility as a country to make sure that we are nurturing and guiding our youth to become the leaders they were born to be,” said Shabangu.
