Hope and opportunity for Lillydale
In honour of former President Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July and to honour his legacy, AfroCentric Technologies embarked on a heartwarming journey to sunny Mpumalanga to bring hope to the youth of Lillydale, a village also known as Nkwinyamahembe.
The team’s destination was Hlomani Secondary School, the academic pride of the region, celebrated for its top rankings in both netball and soccer. Their mission was clear: to enlighten and inspire learners about the myriad career opportunities in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector, aiming to empower them to make informed decisions when selecting subjects or applying for higher education.
The team had identified a severe lack of resources in this underprivileged village and was determined to bridge the gap. This commitment led to the donation of 20 laptops, providing the students with the tools they need to pursue their dreams.
In addition to the educational support, the AfroTech team also launched a sanitary pad drive, contributing 2 000 sanitary pads valued at R10 000 to the girls in the school. The team who made the trip expressed their gratitude to fellow colleagues at AfroCentric Technologies for their generous contributions, ensuring that no girl would need to miss school due to a lack of sanitary products.
The team also addressed another pressing issue in this poverty-stricken village: hunger. Many pupils, some from child-headed households, rely solely on the school feeding scheme for their daily meal, which affects their ability to learn effectively. “Together with the school and community health workers, we identified nearly 20 households in dire need and provided them with essential food parcels. The heartfelt gratitude from these families, who often didn’t know where their next meal would come from, was overwhelming,” said AfroTech’s Tshepiso Lebogo.
Tshepiso said the community of Lillydale and Hlomani Secondary School extended their immense gratitude to AfroCentric Technologies for this impactful initiative. In turn, the team was honoured to have made a difference and look forward to continuing their support in the future. Thank you, or “inkomu”, as the Lillydale community says.
