January 26, 2006
By Rose Setshoge
LOCAL hero Zola is at it again. The kwaito star and presenter of reality television show Zola 7 has again teamed up with the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market (JFPM) to help the needy.
This time they are coming to the rescue of a preschool in Vrededorp in western Johannesburg. Bright Start Pre-school opened its doors a year ago.
When presenter Bonginkosi Dlamini, better known as Zola, received a letter from the school asking for help he and his team approached the market.
And in response, the JFPM has added the preschool to its list of Food Bank beneficiaries. The bank was established as part of a mayoral project last year to distribute goods from the market to the most needy in the city, mainly people affected by and infected with HIV and Aids.
Teacher Tumi Nwamadi with Juanida Malherbe, the mom who asked Zola 7 for help
"We build relationships with the community and will continue doing so, especially when it means helping," said Bernard Magabe, the chief executive of the JFPM. "It is basically for this reason that the Food Bank was established, to fight poverty and hunger."
The market also approached shops in its area, which will donate groceries.
Previously the market worked with Zola 7 to help a Soweto-based centre that caters for children with disabilities. The programme is flighted on SABC1 every Thursday at 8.30pm. It aims to explore the cultural and geographical diversity of the country, as well as its personalities and talents.
"We receive letters everyday from people all over the country and we read each of them," said Unathi Memela, a researcher for Zola 7. The letters were selected depending on the theme of the month; this month's theme was concerned with children and their health.
It was thanks to a letter from parent Juanita Malherbe that the television team got involved with the preschool. "Most of the parents in the area cannot afford to pay [school] fees because of unemployment," Malherbe said.
The episode on Bright Start Pre-school was one of the Dream Team concepts, where people help others. They write a letter to Zola, seeking help for others rather than for themselves. "We believe that there is Zola in everyone," Memela said.
Bright Start Pre-school has three teachers who look after 34 children ranging in age from a few months to six years. It depends on donations for food and there is a shortage of educational material, toys and mattresses.
"We are happy that the market has responded positively to our request and feel happy to have a friend like Juanita," said Tumi Nwamadi, the school founder and a teacher.
Permission to use web site material
Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as:
- Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website
(www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency
(www.joburg.org.za)";
- If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original
article on this website;
- The name of the article's author is acknowledged;
-
The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill
in this brief online form).
Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 |
