Northmead resident puts others first
Northmead resident Melissa Haripersad (25) has a passion for helping the less fortunate in the Benoni community by running monthly feeding schemes and drives which predominantly target areas such as Actonville, the Benoni CBD and Barcelona in Etwatwa.
BCT: Being a resident of Benoni, what are your views on the town and its people?
MH: I love Benoni.
I have never before met people in a community that are so willing to help and assist each other, no matter what the request is.
Benoni is a place that cares and we work together to create and promote safer environments for our children and families.
BCT: What motivated you to start helping the poor?
MH: Welfare has always been a passion of mine.
Growing up in a family where my parents always took the time to lend a helping hand, you grow up appreciating what you have and always look for ways to bless those less fortunate.
BCT: Do you get any form of help or assistance from any other community members or organisations?
MH: We run this initiative on our own.
We are just a small group of friends who join together to raise funds to buy supplies.
BCT: What do you do to help the poor in the community?
MH: We embark on a number of initiatives, and although we would like to do much more, sometimes it’s not always easy as we can only feed as many people as our pockets allow.
Back in July 2014 when we hosted a blanket drive and the BCT was kind enough to report our initiative in the newspaper, so many community members reached out and lent a helping hand toward the drive.
BCT: What other initiatives are held?
MH: We provide a hot breakfast to the homeless, visit orphanages and bless children with various supplies, to our usual monthly feeding schemes where we drive around to different locations and provide a nutritious meal to both homeless people and those living in informal settlements.
BCT: Apart from helping the poor, what is your occupation?
MH: I work in the faculty administration office in management at the University of Johannesburg.
BCT: What are your future plans?
MH: One of our wishes this year is to have Christmas parties for children at orphanages.
I know that we will change many lives in 2017; we intend on hitting the ground running this year to not only provide meals and blankets to the less fortunate, but to also share some encouragement and hope for a new day.
