EDUCATION warrior gogo Emelda Gumede kept true to her kind and giving spirit when she donated school shoes to needy children during her 80th birthday and thanksgiving celebration in Empangeni at the weekend.
Gogo Emelda, who turned 80 on Sunday, donated 20 pairs of shoes to learners at Nkathwini Primary School in Manguzi.
The donation was a tribute to her late mother, who taught at the school when classes were still conducted under a tree.
It was also in keeping with the work Emelda does in the community of Ngwelezana.
She has been running a pre-school and daycare centre for children in the local area for more than 25 years.
‘When I started, there was no daycare facility or pre-school in this area. Many parents had nowhere to take their children because most places were far away.
‘So I started looking after six children back in 1992. That number grew to 18 in 1993 and that is when I decided to turn my garage into space for them to play and learn,’ she said.
Gogo Emelda donates school shoes on 80th birthday
'When I started, there was no daycare facility or pre-school in this area. Many parents had nowhere to take their children because most places were far away.'
