Students on crusade to help street kids back on their feet
While many people look down on street kids, two second-year students from Potchefstroom Academy want to be agents of change by helping them back on their feet.
While many people look down on street kids, two second-year students from Potchefstroom Academy want to be agents of change by helping them back on their feet.
Given Majola (26) and William Nabileyo (38), both studying hairdressing, say they come across people experiencing insurmountable struggles daily.
“It hits close to home; we are touched by what our fellow human beings go through,” says William compassionately.
William says their desire to assist street kids all started when the friends met an 18-year-old teen in June last year. The lad had lived on the Potch streets since 2015.
“We called him and spoke with him to understand where he comes from and how he ended up on the streets. He told us he is from Vaal. He ended up opening up and disclosing the whereabouts of his mother and her contact details. We contacted her and found the means to get him back to Vaal.”
Given says they went to great lengths and efforts to reunite him with his mother. Hardly a year had gone by, however, when he was back on the streets of Potchefstroom.
“We saw him last Friday and asked him what had gone wrong. He confessed to stealing money from his mother. We told him that that was not a good enough reason to run away from home. We told him that we, as humans, also find ourselves in such difficulties and are not immune to making mistakes.”
William says the teen’s mother is a vendor who is trying, by all means, to put food on the table for her family.
One knife sharpens another
William believes the boy will go back to school with counselling and rehabilitation. The teen dropped out in Gr. 6.
“If we can help this boy back on his feet, he will be able to assist all the other street kids and open doors for them. There are a lot of street kids who have run away from home. The reasons may vary but we believe they can be assisted. One knife sharpens another,” he said.
The friends are determined. They say they are not asking much of the Potchefstroom community. “We would like to volunteer our time and reach out to other vulnerable people, especially the street kids. “We want to motivate them. Life on the streets is not good for anyone. The teen sleeps next to the shops, which is unsafe for him. What happens if the shop is broken into? He will be the first suspect,” says William.
Given appeals to businesses and organisations to come on board and partner with them in changing the lives of their fellow citizens. “If we can assist in keeping them off the streets, we would have reached our goal,” he said.
William says he has realised that people judge the street kids without knowing their backgrounds.
The passion-fueled students say their other wish is for a platform to visit schools and motivate the learners. “We see learners beating up their teachers. It is not right,” says William. Given believes a good organisation like Banna Ba Kae would be able to help them. “But we do not have enough information on the structure of the organisation,” he admitted.
As part of their practical training, the pair say they will be cutting the street kids’ hair instead of looking for clients. “This will give us an opportunity to engage with them,” says William.
“There is hope for the street kids out there,” says Given optimistically.
Any company or organisation that wants to empower the students in achieving their goal of assisting the street kids should contact them on 079 924 4296 (Given) or 078 162 2125 (William).
