Byline: Kelebogile Masemola

2 September 2022

A Soshanguve based organisation is making a call for donations on basic necessities to build the confidence of both girls and boys at school.

Curvy Ops founder, Koketso Mataboge (37) said she started the drive in March 2022 after winning most public votes for MscurvybodySA.

“I started the foundation in order to give back to the community, to practice a sense of Ubuntu to instil pride and confidence in the lives of both boy and girl children,” Mataboge said.

Mataboge is asking for donations of sanitary towels, deodorants, toothpaste, toothbrushes and unisex school shoes to assist learners.

“It is about assisting learners to build confidence and self-pride.

The foundation is a platform to allow boy and girl children to speak up at an early age, we need boys who can also break the silence of abuse and humiliation.

To support them and to say it is non-negotiable, every child deserves a right to access to a decent life.”

Mataboge said the drive is all about instilling pride in future leaders, especially accommodating a boy at an early age.

“The foundation is a platform to allow a boy child to speak up at an early age, we need boys who can break the silence of abuse and humiliation.

We should condemn the notion of saying “monna ke nku o swela kamo teng” meaning even if you feel pain, you should be silent.

We want to teach them that it is okay to be taken care of so that they can pass the love to the ones close to them and to be good male figures.

To grow up as men who condemn violence, bullying, sexual violence and body shaming,” said Mataboge.

Mataboge said she decided to start this drive at the end of March 2022 “because I love giving back to the community”.

“I want to encourage our people to practice the principles of Ubuntu, poverty has a negative impact on the lives of children.

They lose their self-esteem, confidence.

Most of our children bunk school instead of going to school on an empty stomach, they also resort to bullying other learners.

They can also get involved in criminal activities such as stealing at a young age.”

She said she has not distributed the donations yet, as she is still working on getting more donations.

“I am currently collecting and would like to distribute the donations when I have items which I have not received yet.

Funding will give access to greater achievement and also boost the Curvy Ops drive,” she said.