Grade 9 Learners Raise Over R400,000 To Build Children’s Home

Photo Cred: Rodolfo Quirós | Supplied

A group of grade 9 learners raised over R400,000 to help build a new building for Vuka Nomtobhoyi Orphanage and Educare Centre in Langa Township.

Western Cape, South Africa (06 December 2022) – Bishops Diocesan College grade nine learners, under the mentorship of former Springbok rugby captain and Head of Philanthropy at Citadel, Jean de Villiers, have raised R400,000 towards the construction of a new building for Vuka Nomtobhoyi Orphanage and Educare Centre in Langa Township, Cape Town.

Currently, despite being a haven for many children, Vuka Nomtobhoyi is housed in a dilapidated shack.

In a successful charity auction hosted by Citadel on Tuesday, 29th November, the four Grade 9 learners partnered with Swiss resident Joerg Caluori, who lives in Cape Town and runs his own non-profit organisation, “Township Help”, and have set their sights on building a home for up to 40 abandoned children aged 2 to 16.

Learners Josh MacDonald, Luke Carter, Pablo Slaven and Deen Fortune, share a mutual passion focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Poverty to create a better future for South African youth.

“Our main focus is the long-term sustainability of this centre,” said Carter.

Donors for the auction included Sir De Villiers Graaff, Luke Bailes, Duncan Parker, Joerg Calouri, Southern Sun, Gravity Adventures, Citadel and Eunice van Niekerk, and included experiences at De Grendel wine farm, a 3-night stay at Singita, private Rieko wine from Constantia Zonnestraal farm, a weekend at Arabella, a hamper from Citadel including whisky and cufflinks, a 2-ticket package for the Roaning Keating gala evening 2023, a Carla Bosch painting and a painting done by the children of Vuka Nomtobhoyi.
The auction was attended by Bishops parents as well as other individuals from the networks of all those involved.

“I would like to congratulate these outstanding young men who did not take ‘no’ for an answer and who are doing everything in their power to ensure that the orphanage gets a permanent home, as well as the equipment it needs to continue supporting the many needy children in the area,” said De Villiers, who made an entertaining auctioneer, successfully dropping the hammer on each of the 11 unique auction items.

“I am incredibly proud of these young men who started this initiative as part of the Bishops Big Ideas programme. Luke and his peers worked tirelessly to ensure a better life for the children of Vuka Nomtobhoyi,” said Bishops Principal, Tony Reeler.

“The young learners have also arranged monthly food parcels and go to Langa weekly to read stories to the children.”
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The organisation relies entirely on volunteers and the generosity of donors to house and feed the children. The process of acquiring land for the centre has already begun and it is in envisioned that it will be a multi-purpose child and youth care facility.

“While this project emanated our school, we have devoted our future to it, and committed to it for the long run. The project now, is something much deeper that personally connects with each one of us,” Carter said.

Bishops Diocesan College grade nine learners, Luke Carter and Pablo Slaven, raising R400 000 towards the construction of a new building for Vuka Nomtobhoyi Orphanage and Educare Centre in Langa Township, Cape Town. | Photo Cred: Bishops Diocesan College | Supplied