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The Student Governance & Leadership Development (SGLD) in the Tshwane University of Technology, Soshanguve South Campus, donated 36 pairs of shoes to needy children at Ya Bana orphanage and 86 to Madidi Primary in Mabopane.
SGLD started their community outreach in 2014, and they have given out about 364 shoes.
According to SGLD annual winter shoes campaign leader Elsie Mosehana, the campaign was initiated to help and prevent learners from dropping out of school because they did not have school uniforms.
“We want to give a child hope to go to school comfortably and be encouraged to go to school, finish school and make something better of their lives,” Mosehana said.
She added the campaign donated the shoes to Madidi Primary School because most students were walking barefoot, with more students who did not have proper uniform.
Mosehana continued to say they did not want the next generation of the youth to be uneducated or unable to sustain their future.
“We want children to stand and be responsible citizens,” she said.
Ya Bana Village father, George Msiza, said he was happy with the SGLD’s visit to the orphanage and that he would love to thank them for what they had done for the kids.
“We thank them for the shoes they’ve brought for us, and we know our kids are going to be so happy to receive these donations,” Msiza said.
Mosehana said they decided to give to an orphanage because they wanted to make the lives of the kids in the orphanage better every day.
“Children who don’t have their mothers, children who are abandoned, we tend to forget about them, so we want to plant a little seed of love there,” she said.
She added they also wanted to remind them that they were their mothers and they loved them and to remind them that they were still part of the society.
Mosehana concluded by stating that she would love to thank their Spaniards friends, Carlos Jeminez and Lara Delgado who helped them by donating 13 pairs of shoes.