Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
TEACHING at Nswazi Primary School in rural Gwanda exposed Gugulethu Mnkandla (29) to the harsh realities faced by vulnerable children, igniting a passion to help.
A social worker by profession, she established the Lesego Memorial Trust to assist underprivileged children in rural Gwanda.
Named after her brother who died at nine from a brain tumour, the trust provides vulnerable primary school learners with academic scholarships, sanitary pads, nutritional support and awareness-raising initiatives.
The trust is now embarking on a project to combat child labour and child prostitution, and will work closely with various Government departments to implement its objectives.
Mnkandla believes that the community must unite to protect and safeguard the interests and rights of vulnerable children.
Her unwavering dedication fuels her desire to reach and support even more children in need.
“I established Lesego Memorial Trust in 2014 and it was registered in 2020. I always had a soft spot for children and I was always concerned about their welfare. After completing my A-level, I taught at Nswazi Primary School as a temporary teacher for a term.
“I was touched by the conditions of some of the learners in my class. Some would come to class without warm clothing on cold days, others did not have shoes while others would come in torn uniforms. Some of the children would come to school on an empty stomach. That’s when my desire to support vulnerable children developed. During my teaching days, I used to buy some basics for the children using my own money,” she said.
Mnkandla strategically partnered with members of the business community, organisations and generous individuals. This collaborative approach mobilised significant resources to ensure substantial assistance reaches the children.
The loss of her young brother at nine left an indelible mark. Determined to honour his memory, Mnkandla found purpose in creating a better world by fiercely protecting vulnerable children.
“I named the Trust after my late brother, Lesego. We had mobilised funds for him to undergo an operation, but he passed away before he could undergo surgery. It made me realise that there are some children who would be in need of medical assistance, but fail to get it because of lack of funds leading to their death,” she said.
Speaking recently during an annual fundraising dinner at a Gwanda hotel, Mnkandla said scores of underprivileged children in the district are in need of assistance. She said it takes the involvement of every member of the community to safeguard the futures of vulnerable children.
She said input from stakeholders can be in the form of resources, raising awareness and observing the rights of children.
“We have many cases of child labour in Gwanda and unfortunately these cases are on the increase. We have children who are working in mines, farms and as domestic workers. Sometimes poverty pushes these youngsters into child labour. We want to end these practices. We want to educate children, parents, guardians, farm owners and mine owners so that we can all have a common goal of protecting children.
“We will be working with various Government departments in implementing this project. There is also a need for more resources to be channelled towards keeping the children so that they don’t resort to working at a tender age. It’s my desire to see a community and people who will safeguard the rights of children and protect their interests. If we all have that mindset, the number of vulnerable children in the community will go down,” she said. – @DubeMatutu
Online Reporter