Even though Mandela Day has passed, boys from the Waterkloof House Preparatory School (WHPS) proved it’s never too late to show compassion and generosity.
In a bid to help those who find themselves without shelter or warmth during winter, the boys collected heaps of warm clothing to donate to the Sunnyside Methodist Church.
“It was a wonderful experience to see the boys arrive on Tuesday to hand out the goods,” ward councillor Shaun Wilkinson said.
“We host a feeding scheme three times a week for the homeless and people who have fallen hard, people on the streets, the displaced and indigent,” he said.
“They come every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for a hot meal.
ALSO READ: East school learners wow festival-goers
“Yesterday we were privileged and blessed to have boys from WHPS who collected blankets, scarves, beanies, gloves and socks for Mandela Day.”
One of the coordinators, Vicky van Noordwyk, said the school did not want it to be an isolated charity event where boys only donate but also that they meet and interact with the people they are donating to.
“So, yesterday 12 senior boys in grades 4 and 5 came to the church during the feeding programme and had the experience and opportunity to hand out the goods they had collected to the people gathered there,” said Wilkinson.
“It was a cathartic and wonderful experience, to see privileged young boys who have warmth and see them go into an environment where they want to help with what they had managed to collect.”
He said the recipients responded to the warmth and the love.
“It was quite emotional and the blessing was not in the receiving, the blessing was in these young boys’ charity and how a seed of philanthropy and charity may have been planted in these young boys.”
He commended the boys and said how they responded was exceptional.
ALSO READ: Police raid nets dagga at east school
“This speaks to the character of the school and the teachers guiding them. This won’t be the last time. We have planted a seed, not only for Madiba day but for other opportunities to keep doing good,” said Wilkinson.
Van Noordwyk said: “It was something we wish more boys could have been exposed to.
“To see young men engaging with a range of ages and to see happy smiles from the recipients was just magical. I am sure Madiba is smiling,” she said.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
Rekord East
Rekord North
Rekord Centurion
Rekord Moot
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
