Spar Women’s Challenge with Jacaranda FM come to the rescue of hardworking woman in need
JOBURG – Spar and Jacaranda put their resources together and offer a struggling single mother a year's worth of groceries from Spar to the value of R24 000.
The Spar Women’s Challenge and Jacaranda Good Morning Angels recently had an opportunity to perform a heartfelt act of kindness for a woman in need.
Rachel, a single mother who works nine-and-a-half-hour shifts as a barista in Braamfontein, is a mother to eight-year-old Lefa, and 12-year-old Kgotatso who is autistic. Spar and Jacaranda wanted to help with the burden she carries every day and so they put their resources together and were able to offer the hard working mother a year’s worth of groceries from Spar to the value of R24 000.
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In her interview, Rachel conveyed that a week before this intervention, she had recently made the decision to leave her former partner due to being mistreated by him. This meant that she would no longer have someone to help out with the expenses.
“I packed up my things and found a room to rent. Although it’s small, it is better than always being unhappy,” Rachel said.
The incredible story about Rachel was brought to the attention of the Angels by Karen van Heerden who gets her morning coffee from Rachel. Van Heerden explained that Rachel was going through a lot and was struggling to stay afloat. Somehow she manages to cover the rent, put food on the table for her kids, pay for Lefa’s schooling, as well as fees for the Jiswa School for special needs in Lenasia that Kgotatso attends – all on a barista’s salary.
“Rachel has the most amazing smile and when you greet her in the morning, you will never know the struggle behind that smile,” said Van Heerden. She also expressed that the struggle Rachel faces on her own has resulted in her developing depression.
With the intervention by the Angels and the help of some sponsors, they stepped in to give her a helping hand by offering to cover the school fees for both her kids and as well cover her rent for the rest of the year.
To make sure that Rachel has everything she needs, the Spar Women’s Challenge then added a year’s worth of groceries to the donation. “We at Spar believe in being better together and so, from Spar and from every lady that walks in the Spar Women’s Challenge race, I would like to give you a year’s worth of groceries to the value of R24 000,” said Spar’s Retha Ingenbleek.
Thanks to the many generous people who got involved and this year’s Pretoria Spar Women’s Challenge, Rachel is now on the road to independence.
**Rachel’s last name has been withheld to protect her privacy**
