No more bathing with cold water for learners going to school
No more bathing with cold water for learners going to school in New Town informal settlement in the far east of Mamelodi.
An unemployed man is making a difference in the New Town informal settlement in the far east of Mamelodi by boiling water early in the mornings for residents to use to wash their children who are getting ready to go to school.
Eugene Raphala (40) wakes every week morning at around 3:30 and boils the water using a fire he made with firewood that he lit with paraffin and paper.
More than 20 learners use the hot water he prepares this way on school days.
“I make the hot water early in the mornings, but it’s the parents’ responsibility to bring buckets to fetch it for their kids,” said Raphala.
Raphala said he lost his job because of the lockdown, and decided to spend his time helping learners.
Parents in the area also help with collecting firewood from a nearby veld.
He said he decided to help the learners because he wanted to prevent shack fires in the area.
“Most of the children in the area never had hot bathwater in the mornings before I started doing this.
“Not everyone here has electricity. Some parents leave early for work while their children are still sleeping. Then the children have to prepare to go to school on their own using paraffin stoves, which can cause fires.
“In the past, people have lost their lives in such fires.”
He said often these fires destroyed several shacks and they often began because of accidents involving children who were trying to make warm water on cold winter mornings using paraffin stoves.
“Many people in the area are unemployed and don’t have electricity or enough money to buy paraffin every day.”
Boiling water is available from 05:00 to 6:30 for learners going to school.
Josephina Masemola (35), a parent, said she loved what Raphala was doing for the learners and community members.
“I wake up in the morning to get hot water for my son to bath because I can’t afford to buy paraffin every day,” said Masemola.
She further said that Raphala also encouraged the children to go to school every day and become future leaders of this country.
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