The saying, “when it rains, it pours,” is an apt one to apply to the year single mom Nkami has had; from battling several setbacks, she finally had her faith restored.
Kempton Park, South Africa (15 April 2021) – 49-year-old Nkami has had a very tough year, more so than the average South African experiencing lockdown. She has faced more stresses than one could ever imagine coping with but held it together for her children.
In April last year, after a tough month in lockdown, her daughter Karabelo aged 18, found a letter hidden under a plate in the kitchen. She gave the letter to Nkami, as it was from her father. He wrote that he was leaving the family to find a better life, one without struggle.
Nkami, who was already unemployed, was now left to raise, clothe, feed and educate her two teenage children by herself. Unable to fall apart, she soldiered on and started making fabric face masks, which she sold. The sales brought in enough to feed the family.
She also started making fat cakes, chakalaka and atchaar, which help to make ends meet. However, things quickly started to fall apart. First, her sewing machine packed up, then the car stopped running, but it was her son Tisetso aged 14, becoming gravely ill that nearly pushed her over the edge.
Tisetso was rushed to Tembisa hospital in August 2020 with a sugar level of 36,8. He spent five weeks in hospital, three of which were in ICU. He was diagnosed with Diabetes Type 1 and now has to inject insulin 4 times a day. He is also required to eat a special diet to help manage his diabetes.
It was the realisation that Nkami couldn’t afford to fill the fridge with the things Tisetso needed that led her to reach out and ask for help.
The Good Morning Angels heard her plea and decided to feature her story on the Breakfast with Martin Bester morning show. What happened next has totally restored Nkami’s faith in humanity. The show was flooded with responses that will help this wonderful family get back on their feet.
The spirit of Ubuntu was flowing!
An anonymous listener who heard her plea donated a brand new sewing machine to the value of R9000 so Nkami can pick up her sewing business again. Tim Langdon, MD of Goldwagen, also came forward and assisted Nkami with R20 000 to fix her car, replace her broken fridge. When she heard this good news, she broke down into a sob that hits you! Martin then donated R10 000 from the Good Morning Angels Fund.
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From there, people started donating resources to her, from web hosting for her business, logos and page management to food vouchers and more life-changing amounts of cash.
We warn you in advance, you will cry listening to her interview, but it is such a feel-good story in the end!
This year has been so hard on so many people, and every person who is helped has had an incredibly moving story. But this one got us right in the feels. Nkami has a plan, and now, thanks to so many generous people, she will get back on her feet, and back to the life she once had.
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