67 minutes well spent with orphaned chldren 



Orphaned children play recreational games prior to their mini-party in Ga-rankuwa, Zone 1.

Ofentse Ramatsetse -

With half the country’s citizens rolling up their sleeves to take action in devoting their 67 minutes to help change the world for better and cultivate a global movement for good, the Phaphamang Project organization saw it necessary to celebrate Mandela Day with 29 underprivileged children by making a mini-birthday party as a symbol of showing love and appreciation; the function was held in Zone 1, Ga-rankuwa, on the 21st of July.

South Africa has approximately 70% of orphaned children who most of them are indigent and not well looked after. As a result, many of them end up becoming street-beggars, criminals and rape casualties in search of a noble life like other children. These young leaders of tomorrow fail to pursue their dreams in life as many are ill-advised, marginalized and out-casted by some of the community members which leave them with no hope in life.

 In spite of these inhuman circumstances, Phaphamang Project made it their duty to make these orphans feel love and warmth they deserve like any other child who has both parents. Proper meal and recreational games were made to cheer them up and make them feel needed again. Many of these disadvantaged children were privileged enough as they were born on the same month as the world icon Nelson Mandela.

Phaphamang Project managing director, Priscilla Ntuli, said the main objective behind the birthday party was to give back to the needy and underprivileged children in doing so to make them feel loved and cared for by the community. Ntuli further emphasized that there was a need to exercise their mentality of that being an orphan means you don’t have anyone to look after you.

“The purpose of this event is giving; making these kids happy and showing them how much they’re loved and needed in our community. Being an orphan does not mean you do not have anyone in the world who cares about you and your well being, the world is in our hands as individuals to make difference in people’s lives.” 

Vusi Mnguni, a caretaker of orphaned children on voluntary basis, said it melted his heart to see people making difference in the community by empowering those who cannot empower themselves. Mnguni said such occasions prolong the legacy of “Utata Madiba” that aimed at bettering the lives of people.

“It shows that there are people who care about others; who are willing to give what they have, and I do not want to call it a sacrifice because it’s some kind of empowerment to people who lack it. It’s also a lead that was put out by Utata madiba to say that any work you perform makes the world a better place.”

Different organizations were also summoned over to give children sermons on how to deal with pressing social problems within their society that challenges them such as discrimination, hatred and any other kind of abuse, to mention few. Among the speakers was Neria from Child and Youth Care; Joyce from Keep Mzansi Btiful; Beatrice Mpho Mabilisa from Rainbow Youth Development Forum.

A Medical Technician in Blood Transfusion Technology, Boitshoko Lephadi, said such events should be held most often as they reinvigorate and bring excitement to orphaned children whom some of them are family-headed.

“We Phaphamang Project thought it would be best for us to make these kids feel at home; to feel the environment of what a party is; to have a proper meal at home because some of these kids are orphans and some are family-headed children. So, we thought it would be good for them to feel like children again.” said Ntuli

Many of the children received gifts from Phaphamang Project as tokens of love and appreciation such as wash-cloth, educational DVDs on epidemic diseases such as HIV/AIDS; bible covers and many more.