A shoebox superhero named Bronwyn has been ensuring that underserved children receive essential surprises year after year!
Cape Town, South Africa (19 December 2024) — Bronwyn Thomas-Bake is a champion of kindness, resilience and rallying people to do their part for others. A local shoebox superhero in Cape Town, for over 10 years, she has pulled up her socks and dedicated immense effort to serving those with less. When it comes from Bronwyn and the people backing her, a shoebox becomes so much more than cardboard.
Filling up the boxes with essential goodies, the shoebox superhero ensures that children’s homes, classrooms and daycare centres get to enjoy the surprise of someone looking out for them. And in the process, those who get to watch Bronwyn at work receive another kind of gift—immense inspiration.
“Bronwyn is an amazing person [and] a force to be reckoned with who made damn sure I went through my cancer journey both positive and fighting,” shares her ex-colleague, Camilah Yon who put Bronwyn on Good Things Guy’s radar.
“She raised funds, browbeat friends, family and colleagues into supporting, forced our company to match donations, held raffles, ran a tuckshop and wrote countless letters and emails begging for donations,” Camilah lists. “She has walked into a shop to buy supplies for the shoeboxes, only to walk back out with donations we were not expecting, just from her personality and the passion she has for helping others.”
Despite Bronwyn’s insistence that every year will be her last shoebox effort due to the sheer amount of hard work it takes, she can be found time after time going at it again.
“This little person has the biggest heart,” Camilah shares. “Bronny doesn’t believe in giving up. We joke that she stored up Jesus-points by helping all of us during the year,” her friend jokes.
In 2023, the shoebox superhero managed to organise winter boxes and Christmas boxes for learners at Nerina Primary, a community in Khayelitsha and a children’s home in Zonnebloem. Before this, boxes packed with goodies were shared with Middelpos Farm in Malmesbury for farm children and the women who look after them.
This year, another full class of Nerina Primary learners received boxes, as well as the home in Zonnebloem, a daycare centre and even a program in Jbay.
Though the count was lower at 52 boxes for 2024, the dedication shown against the backdrop of a tough year for Bronwyn and her shoebox helpers is still more than can be said for most.
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“She is an inspiration, a woman who lives for and helps out in her community, not just saying the words, but actually DOING something,” reflects Camilah.
“She is what we all wish we were—a truly good person.”
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