Bana Ba Kgotso supports Thembisa community with food, blankets, and education

Bana Ba Kgotso, under the leadership of Denis Rasekgela, continues to support the community of Thembisa through donations collected from well-wishers.

In August alone, the organisation donated 50 blankets, 20 to churches and 30 to households in need, in Esangweni.

In addition, they distributed 300 bags of maize meal, which they provide every month. However, due to a lack of funding, they were unable to include their usual amount of relish.

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Esangweni faces high unemployment, crime, and drug abuse, and Rasekgela has made it her mission to bring hope, particularly to children.

“I have donated to children who were abandoned by their parents and are now attending private schools.

“As a parent whose own children have completed school, I chose this journey because I see the need for educated children as our future. This area needs successful minds who will uplift us, and I believe one of them will come from these learners,” she said.

As a coach and referee in Ekurhuleni, Rasekgela has built networks she draws on to support her initiatives.

“Every month I host a clothing drive at our gate. I visit suburbs like Edenvale and Sunninghill, going door to door asking for clothes people no longer need.

“To my surprise, people have been generous, giving us clothes, toys, and essentials that we can fix and sell to fund our kitchen and feed the children.

“As a referee, I also render my services freely, only asking organisers to cover the monthly educational needs of at least one learner. I currently support nine children attending English private schools,” she explained.

Rasekgela began her community work in the early 2000s and has sustained it without funding or formal sponsors.

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Through her persistence, she has secured donations from various companies. However, she faces a major challenge: lack of space.

“My home cannot even fit a container. I identified a piece of land over a decade ago and followed the proper channels to lease it, but approval has never been granted.

“This derails the growth of the project because currently I cater for children at my home and distribute food and essentials at the nearby sports grounds. If everything was in one place, it would be more accessible to residents who need help,” she said.

Despite her efforts, Rasekgela admits that August was a difficult month.

“Whenever I do food parcel giveaways, the community shows up in numbers, often surpassing what I planned for. This shows the level of need, and one person alone can only do so much.”

Looking ahead, she has planned a Heritage Month celebration for the Esangweni community.

“We will host traditional dancers, provide food for everyone, and even prepare traditional alcohol from scratch so the community can celebrate, feel love, and be joyful together,” Rasekgela said.