Hadebe reaches out to needy Phomolong learners on her 45th birthday

Learners at Phomolong Primary School received school shoes thanks to Precious Galaletsang Hadebe, a local community builder.

Birch Acres-based Hadebe managed to donate new school shoes to about 27 learners on April 25.

Hadebe, who grew up in Ellendale, Northern Cape, said every year on her birthday she chose to celebrate it with the neediest residents.

This year Hadebe celebrated her 45-year with the less fortunate learners of Phomolong Primary School.

Hadebe said her love for uplifting the poor grew after she got married in 1997 and volunteered at Kempton Park Child Welfare where she connected with the children, feeding and playing with them.

“Twice a year, in winter and summer, I used to take all my family’s unwanted clothing to donate to the welfare. I would sometimes after three months extend my donation to my church whereby I donated clothes to needy families and buy them perishable food items and blankets. I assisted another lady who was knocking on the doors in my street, asking for food while carrying her small baby boy and the two other children. I bought groceries every month for her for almost a year until we lost contact. It is hard for me to see people on the street struggling and having nothing to eat or wear,” explained Hadebe.

Hadebe was raised by her single mother who worked as a domestic worker in Johannesburg. When she was young she always pictured herself as a successful well-known model and entered several beauty pageants.

“I never won the first title but I won several prizes of the first and second princess’s titles,” she added.

In 2016, she entered Mrs South Africa keeping in mind that if she could make it to the finals it will provide her more exposure.

“I wanted to open a modelling school strictly for young people from disadvantaged families. My aim was to motivate and inspire young people and make them aware that anything is possible as long as you work hard. I also wanted to expose them to God. My love for children is immeasurable, regardless of gender or race,” said Hadebe.

Hadebe lives by this motto: Do not be known by duration, but by donation. This simply means when you are gone don’t let people talk about how long you lived, but rather about how you donated to the community in order to change their lives.

“We must know that God blessed us to be a blessing to others. Last year, I chose to celebrate my birthday with about 30 children from a local Sunday school church where I hired jumping castles, bought food and party packs,” said Hadebe.

She hopes to extend her donation next year to Phomolong Primary School and trusts that God will reveal more good Samaritans to donate to at least 100 children.

Luwandle Nkunzi, a learner at Phomolong, said he used to wear tekkies to school.

“I did not have school shoes and today I feel lucky to have people such as Hadebe who considered us as her beneficiary. God bless you Hadebe,” he added.

Meanwhile, Phomolong Primary School’s principal, Siyabapong Sepeng, said they appreciate the donation to their destitute learners.

“We are a school that upholds the dignity of our learners and we understand that a proper school uniform gives dignity to our learners. This gesture has made a change in our children and built their self-confidence. We thank Hadebe and we hope this partnership will grow tremendously in the near future,” said Sepeng.