Three young kids collected thousands of bottle caps to get a wheelchair for their peer

Three young Joburg kids started collecting plastic bottle caps to get a wheelchair for a young student at the Lusito School for Special Needs.

Three young children were inspired to make a difference when they learned that all it took was collecting plastic tags and tops. The Sweethearts Foundation, through their ‘Tops & Tags’ programme recycle plastic tops and bread tags in exchange for wheelchairs.

It takes around 450kgs in plastic tops to get 1 standard adult wheelchair and 50kgs in plastic bread tags to get 1 standard adult wheelchair.

Bryce who is 6, and his sister Brayley Penny who is 8, along with their friend Jesalyn Johnson who is 7 collected thousands of plastic bottle caps. The children were inspired to start collecting in December 2016 after getting the idea from their cousin.

“The children got all the tops by asking their friends [from school] to help collect, they also approached their school’s tuck shop and local restaurants in the neighbourhood to save the lids for them as well,” – Kerry McKenzie, mother to Bryce and Brayley

The children collected enough bottle caps to exchange for a wheelchair. They gave their donation to the Lusito School for Special Needs Children in Regents Park, south of Johannesburg. A girl at the school, named Bonile, was the recipient of their donation. She was in desperate need of a wheelchair upgrade. The kids even donated their pocket money to the school.

“We did it because we wanted to help an underprivileged child get a wheelchair. We have so much, it felt nice to give to others who need it.” – Brayley Penny

It is just the sweetest seeing young children work hard for something they believe in. Such a touching story!