Byline: Kelebogile Masemola
21 July 2022
Soshanguve Crossing Mall along with its tenants, Spar, Tampico Spur, Mcdonalds, Roots and JAM treated the children from Boitumelo Children’s Home to lunch packed with fun activities to commemorate Mandela Day.
Boitumelo Children’s Home, based in Block X Soshanguve, Tshwane, is a home to 47 children, aged from one to 19 years old, who have suffered extreme hardships and even worse living conditions.
The home was established by owner and mother, Sophie Msiza in the year 2000.
Aged 55, Sophie, who is the biological mother of one boy, but at heart mother of many, is very passionate about her children.
She told Ses’khona how this Mandela Day, Monday 18 July 2022, will be the most memorable day for her children because they never have the opportunity to go to the mall let alone eat at restaurants like McDonald and Tampico Spur.
“I am so overjoyed I could cry, to receive so much love and support from Soshanguve Crossing Mall and everyone, who made this day possible.”
Mam Sophie expressed her gratitude towards all the people who made it possible for making this Mandela Day a memorable one for her and her kids.
“Taking my children to malls and resturants is something I cannot afford, we depend on donations, so I am so incredibly thankful to everyone who made this day a success, my kids are so happy,” said Msiza.
Marketing Manager for Soshanguve Crossing Mall, Martha Khoza, said the Mall wanted to commemorate Mandela Day by giving back to the community, Boitumelo Children’s Home was the perfect home to spend the day with.
“We all know that Nelson Mandela was fond of kids, we decided to commemorate the Day by hosting the children from Boitumelo Children’s Home, just to give them the experience of what Soshanguve Crossing Mall is all about.
These kids come from unprivileged backgrounds, we decided to spoil them and give them an experience they will not forget,” said Khoza.
The Soshanguve Crossing management, managed to get a few of its tenants to participate/contribute on the Day.
“We managed to get a few tenants who were able to be part of Mandela Day’s activities, which is Spar, Tampico Spur, McDonalds, Roots and JAM,” said Khoza.
Soshanguve Crossing Mall gave prizes to the Children’s Home worth R10 000, JAM gave out winter jerseys worth R2 500, McDonalds catered breakfast and free haircuts for the kids, Tampico Spur catered lunch, Spar and Roots donated groceries.
Some activities the children participated in for the day was face painting, making animated balloons, drawing as well as other fun activities which kept the children occupied for the day.
According to Alina Moloto who is a Quality Control Manager at Spar, the company works with Mam Sophie on a monthly basis, as a way of giving back to the community.
“We as Spar love to give back to the community, Boitumelo Children’s Home has always been one of the orphanages we work with, we give them groceries every month and we are delighted to spend Mandela Day with them,” said Moloto.
