Pupils receive school shoes
Donations were received from as far as Ireland but more is needed.
Almost 900 children will receive school shoes at Eldorado Park Primary School.
Zelma Moffatt, while doing her Lenten appeal, came across pupils who are in need of more than a meal.
“While giving out bread to the pupils, my eye caught on other needs,” Moffatt said.
She continued giving sandwiches at the school while making appeals for school shoes from various business owners.
Moffatt received a list from teachers of the most needy children, 900 of them.
She said that more can be done by residents to assist underprivileged children especially those coming who come from broken homes.
“Most of the time the meals children get at school is the only meal they’ll get.
“Some of them go home to a mother who is an alcoholic or a father who is abusive,” Moffatt said.
Her sister, Patience Van Greenen said it is heartbreaking to see how some of the pupils are dressed at school.
“I remember one day it was raining and there was a pupil who had sandals on,” Van Greenen said.
During first break at Eldorado Park Primary School, children line up as the sandwiches are brought to them.
They start scuffling and pushing, trying to get a sandwich.
Every child who gets a sandwich says “Thank you” sincerely and move on.
A group of girls quietly stand in a circle, devouring the cheese sandwich.
They fold it and munch away, their sandwiches are done but they linger around hoping for more.
Meanwhile children in the line continue to shove at each other, they can see the bread is running out.
Some come back for more but are turned away.
The last cheese sandwich is given to a boy as the rest of the pupils turn around in dismay.
“Tomorrow will be the same, it isn’t nice to turn away pupils but we need to make sure as many children possible get something to eat,” Van Greenen said.
The pair is unable to feed the entire school as only the two of them prepare the sandwiches from 6am daily.
It was while giving bread that they noticed the dire need of school shoes.
“Many of the pupils’ shoes are broken with tattered uniforms,” Moffatt said.
They received shoes from taxi owners and a few local businesses but say the need is so great they cannot supply all the children.
To assist Moffatt and Van Greenen with school shoes contact 011 057 3761.
