Faces of Riverside brings hope to haven
Most recently the Face of Riverside winners, Angelique Pietersen and Chané Alberts, visited Mama Esther Nkosi's safe haven and dropped off a trolley-load of donated goods on Monday.
MBOMBELA – Support for Mama Esther’s haven for orphans continues to stream in.
“Those who entered the Face of Riverside competition all had to contribute an article of clothing, non-perishable food or a toy. After the competition, the winners participated in the R2 project, whereby R2 coins are handed to the public as the first contribution, which they can use to buy a tin of food to donate,” said Beate Dreyer, marketing manager of Riverside Mall.
Community service is a large part of the competition, and is upheld after it is over as well. Mama Esther Nkosi told Lowvelder and the rest of her guests about her upbringing, and that she is raising all her children in the same manner: with the Word of God.
The caregiver of more than 60 children gave a tour of the facilities, stating, “After the last article about us, some people have offered to install the bathrooms for us. They will come any day now, hopefully, and then the work my late husband did before the Lord came to fetch him will be done.”
Mama Esther told this newspaper in February that they had no working toilets, and that they had to use buckets.
“Even if you pick up a plastic teaspoon off the ground, you have to be thankful. I teach my children to be humble,” she said.
Upon receiving their gift, the children started singing in gratitude, followed by a group prayer. Afterwards, they all echoed a loud, “Thank you! We love you!”
The Face of Riverside winners were both inspired by the event, as Alberts said, “We all have a lot to be thankful for.”
