Children’s angel needs more support

AFTER going through a difficult time personally, ultimately losing all her possessions when her home burnt down, Pastor Rita Khumalo had a vision of helping poor and needy rural children.

Pastor Rita established Makgatlaphelo Children’s Home and Day Care, a registered NPO, in 2009 as a feeding scheme in Johannesburg as a result of the high rate of unemployment and starvation.

‘During that year alone, about 90 % of the people living in our area were unemployed,’ she said.

‘Poverty is a vicious cycle because it can lead to all kinds of chronic and contagious diseases such as HIV/Aids and mental and physical retardation.

‘We would cook for and feed the needy in Joubert Park, Johannesburg.’

Herself a victim of abuse, Pastor Rita said God was with her through difficult situations, such as when she lost her job because of domestic violence, being rescued by the police and taken to a place of safety for four years.

‘During that time my house was burnt to ashes and I lost everything.

‘It was there where I was made a pre-school teacher and centre manager, taking care of abused women and children.

Vision

‘While at the place of safety, I had a vision in which I was told to leave the place and establish a centre for abused children and call it Makgatlaphelo Children’s Home.

‘Looking up the meaning of ‘Makgatlaphelo’, I learnt it means ‘touching the broken hearted’.

‘When my home burnt down, I had no choice but to return to KZN, my place of birth, in February last year.

Last September, Pastor Rita started Makgatlaphelo in Mzingazi, and to date has identified 80 underprivileged children from impoverished backgrounds.

Thirty of these children are babies and pre-schoolers, while 50 are of school-going age and benefit from the aftercare service.

‘We feed, source clothing, blankets, shoes, stationary and help with transport to out-of-the-way schools, as some of these children have reached 18 and had their grant money cut off. We also help them with homework.’

Makgatlaphelo operates on leased premises, with not much space for the children to play.

They also rely on neighbours for water, sanitary and cooking facilities, and storage.

Pastor Rita has identified a site on which she could establish a decent place the children can call home if sufficient donations came in to allow her NPO to buy the land.

‘The sites are selling between R17 000 and R35 000, and we appeal to one and all to help us make this a reality.’

In the interim, Pastor Rita is appealing to any businesses or individuals who can sponsor food, carpets, a storage cupboard or help fix the windows in the hall they are currently using for the crèche and aftercare.

‘We are registered with the Department of Social Development but are yet to receive any funding from them.’

Pastor Rita can be contacted on 071 9819100 or 083 3887377.

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