VIDEO: Sanitary project wins Constantia Park girl an award
“I didn’t think my project would win. I thought it was too small to get attention. I guess it’s the small things that count.”
A 10-year-old Constantia Park girl flew the South African flag high when her philanthropy won her an award at the Power Puff Girls awards in August.
Uviwe Bubu was honoured with the Blossom-Social helper award for her Mini Sparkles sanitary care project.
She became one of three girls to make it to the top, from 3 000 entrants.
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Motivated by the knowledge that millions of girls in South Africa miss up to a week of school because of the lack of proper sanitary care, she took to underprivileged schools in Cape Town to give out sanitary pads.
“I don’t see [why] girls miss school because of something that is so natural,” she said.
“I want girls to be educated.”
A day after her project kicked off in Cape Town, Uviwe saw the Power Puff Girls competition advertisement on television.
Her mother encouraged her to enter and as sceptical as she was, she entered.
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“I didn’t think my project would win. I thought it was too small to get attention,” she said.
“I guess it’s the small things that count.”
To decrease school absenteeism, Uviwe enlisted the help of friends and family to donate money and sanitary products.
She said she was inspired by her mother, whom she had shadowed through her works of charity.
WATCH:
“My mother always does good for others including a project where she gives food to those in need.”
The Power Puff Girls, after whom the awards were named, are Cartoon Network characters who are known for trying to save the world from villains like the wicked Mojojo.
The awards were aimed at celebrating and empowering young girls between the ages of nine and 14, who want to make a difference in their communities.
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“One of my best traits is that I am confident and I want that for other girls to have that too,” said Uviwe.
“I want other girls to be educated because it is important.”
Uviwe, a Nigerian and a Zambian won the Buttercup Science and Tech Inventor, and the Bubbles Artistic Creator categories respectively.
The award included a cash prize that would help the youngsters grow their projects.
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Uviwe said she dreamed of being a singer or a fashion designer when she finished school and hoped to use her craft to continue helping others.
“There is always a way we can help others,” she said.
She plans to bring her project to underprivileged schools in Pretoria soon.
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