Grateful gogo pays it forward
A Durban grandmother is grateful to the community for helping her get a wheelchair for her grandson.
DURBAN communities care. That was evident by the gracious offers of help after a Durban grandmother appealed for a wheelchair for her grandson. The story appeared in Berea Mail last week and on the newspaper’s website and social media platforms and shortly after, offers of help began pouring in, totally overwhelming Nokuthula Shezi who was overjoyed at the response her appeal had.
A speechless Shezi told Berea Mail this week that she had received far more than she had bargained for.
“Following the article in Berea Mail, a woman came to my work with a wheelchair, and shortly thereafter I received a call from Ann Davidson from the Lions Club of Durban Host. When I told her I had a wheelchair already, she told me the one she had was newer and that I must take it. I also received a wheelchair from Mike Hiron from the Rotary Club of Durban as well as Yunus Ally from Cas Tiles,” she said.
She said she had told the donors she knew of other people who needed wheelchairs, and asked if she could donate the extra wheelchairs to these needy people.
I’m a community development worker and I know a lot of people who are in need, like a 15-year-old child who has to crawl around, as well as a child from eThembeni School who needs a wheelchair. I told the donors I would let them know who the wheelchairs were going to. A man who called me from Pinetown said God is using me to get help to others, it’s a blessing, – she said.
Shezi said she also received a call from a young man from Musgrave, Sandile, who offered to buy a laptop for her grandson, Mlungisi.
Mr Ally has also offered to help build a shower for Mlungisi.
“I am so grateful to these people! My dream is to formulate a business plan to take to government so I can build a drop-in centre for people living with disabilities. Some disabled children don’t even leave their homes, and I want to create a place where people can take the disabled, so they can still be seen as human beings and interact with others. I use Mlu as an example. He is very clever and I take him all over, to the beach, everywhere,” she said.
