A 16-year-old learner from Jim village in Giyani is hoping to bring smiles to the faces of vulnerable children and orphans in his community by donating sanitary towels, old clothes, uniforms, and shoes to underprivileged learners in local schools. “Every child deserves a pleasant, healthy childhood and the chance to grow up feeling equal to other kids in the community.”

“This is why I felt the need to ask for donations to help those who don’t have enough,” said Theron Mathebula, a Gr 10 learner at Famandha High School. The charitable causes supported by the foundation inspired Theron to embark on a drive to collect items he could donate to poor learners in his village.

“Many learners come from poor families that can hardly afford to feed them let alone buy them a complete uniform, hence I’m asking everybody that can afford to buy uniforms or donate old clothes to help me ensure that these learners have enough uniforms at school,” he said. Before he became involved in charity, Theron tried his hand at poetry but failed due to a lack of support and access to information.

“In 2020, in Gr 6, I wrote poems intending to publish a poetry book, but I couldn’t proceed because I didn’t have anyone to guide me through it,” he explained, adding that he later attempted to write a book of short stories and was faced with the same lack of support. As a talented individual, Theron did not give up. In 2024, he decided to join the TT Foundation’s talent show programme, representing the Tsonga tribe, and secured third place, earning the title of Tsonga Prince.

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He did not stop there; on July 1, he participated in the Indoni programme where came second. “Inspired by these two shows, I started a charity campaign to donate clothes to underprivileged children,” he said, urging the community in his area to support him with donations so he could fulfil his dream of helping those in need.