12 Apr 2017

In an effort to help cultivate and nurture gifts and talents of orphaned and vulnerable children in Mmankgodi and surrounding areas, Ms Goitsemodimo Mokgatle, a resident of Mmankgodi has registered a non-profit and non-governmental organisation called Mmankgodi Hope Inspired, to bring hope to the children.

Registered in August 2014, the organisation seeks to give children an opportunity to contribute something to society, Ms Mokgatle said in an interview.

“All children are born with talents and gifts from God and have potential to influence the future and promote behavioural change through their many talents such as poetry, acting and singing,” she said.

This should not be reduced when they were vulnerable and orphaned, she added.

She therefore said they occasionally meet with the children to help them develop their talents through giving them opportunities to showcase their talents and give them tasks that would help to grow them.

They create plays for those who love acting and encourage those into poetry accordingly.

Ms Mokgatle, a teacher by profession and a member of the Apostolic Faith Mission Church, said she was driven by passion to help children and the word of God to meet up with Mr Norman Patlakwe and come up with ways that they could give back to the community.

She said their organisation works with guidance and counselling teachers and the village social worker to identify vulnerable children and see how they could help them.

Furthermore, she said some have special needs and need to be helped with school uniforms and toiletries.

She urged private individuals and companies to take it upon themselves to help children who lack resources that they need to make it to higher education, saying challenges such as poverty, lack of guidance and motivation and poor living standards could deny children in such challenges to reach their purpose in life.

In addition, she said that if the nation allows for some children to grow up in bad environments, it would encourage them to develop social ills such as prostitution.

She therefore urged all to work together in making sure that all children especially students were afforded a conducive environment for learning so that they could perform at their best in academics. ENDS