The principal of Manenberg’s Silverstream Primary School, Mzwandile Tonisi, celebrated his 51st birthday on Thursday September 15 by donating groceries, toiletries and food to the community.
He dished out two 16-litre pots of lentil curry and akhni after school and donated the toiletries and groceries to Green Pastures Daycare in Tambo Village and Little Big Shots Daycare in Manenberg.
Gender violence, poverty and other social ills crippling the community had spurred him to act, he said, adding that many of his pupils came from fatherless or child-headed households because of gang violence.
Mr Tonisi, who was appointed principal in April, said he had pupils who told him they couldn’t draw pictures of their families because their grandmothers raised them, he said, adding that teachers were often the last hope for those pupils who had no role models to guide them.
“I decided to do this so that I could give on my birthday instead of getting. We want to not only focus on problems in the community but on solutions as well.
“I make a call to the community to assist the teachers to advocate and encourage those involved in crime and gangsterism to just stop. The community relies on teachers to do it, but we don’t have the resources to do that. Children come to school without eating. One pupil fainted at school because of hunger.”
Speaking at the handover to Little Big Shots Daycare, Silverstream Primary School teacher Yaseen Galant said: “I hope that it will carry you through the next couple of weeks and months and hope that you can make use of it for kids.”
The daycare’s principal, Michelle Fisher, said: “This is a great opportunity for us, such as huge blessing. I want to thank all involved.”
At Green Pastures Daycare, Pastor Andrew May thanked the Silverstream staff for the donations, saying they would go far as many of the pupils’ parents could not afford to pay school fees.
“Educators in Manenberg face huge challenges every day, and we thank you for the good work you are doing for our kids and pupils.”