In the spirit of giving, members of the United Methodist Church Langa circuit donated school uniforms and sanitary towels to Mokone Primary School on Friday July 19.
There was joy on the faces of teachers and pupils as more than 100 uniforms were handed over to the school.
Church members took money from their own pocket and church offerings to buy the items.
They said they strongly believe that their existence should be measured by the impact they have in the community in which they operate.
They said they understood that a child’s ability to learn is negatively affected if they don’t have the basic necessities for school.Senior pastor Lungisile Kolo said they donated the school uniform and sanitary towels because they wanted to show the children that they were loved and appreciated.
He said it was heartbreaking to see children going to school either without uniform or wearing a worn uniform.
He said some children do not even want to go to school because they felt embarrassed at the state of their uniform.
However, he said it was important for them to show a spirit of love, care and appreciation so that children do not drop out of school.
Churches, he said, should not only talk about the good things that are in the Bible, but they should practise them.
He believes that churches were key community institutions that need to play an active role in uplifting the areas that they operate in. He said churches should not operate on Sundays only and close during the week. They also understood that children come from different households and not all their parents and guardians were able to meet their school needs.
“I want to inspire these children to stay at school. Education is the only thing that can change their lives. Let’s rally behind our children and support them. “This is not the first time that we donated school uniforms. We have done this in other schools in Khayelitsha and other townships.
“We have chosen to invest in our children’s education. We should do our bit in ensuring that our children are motivated to be at school,” he said.
Mr Kolo has called on other churches and local business people to plough back into their various communities.
Principal Dominic Raphahlela said he was extremely grateful for the donation.
He said the school uniforms would restore the pupils’ dignity and give them a sense of belonging.
Mr Raphahlela applauded the church’s initiatives and urged them to continue showing a spirit of Ubuntu.