Patience Bambalele

Patience Bambalele

Gospel singer Deborah Fraser is a worthy role model. She donated R109976 to the Tshepisong Orphanage in Roodepoort on the West Rand on Saturday.

Working with African Rainbow Minerals, owned by mining magnate Patrice Motsepe, Fraser donated the money to help renovate the orphanage's building.

The award-winning singer told Sowetan that they identified Tshepisong Orphanage after noticing that the conditions in which the children lived were not ideal.

"The orphanage had no doors and windows, no floors and an incomplete roofing," she said. "We have offered to complete building the orphanage and make it a decent place where children will be warm."

Fraser said her foundation had already helped many people in both Jozi and Durban.

"We realised that Tshepisong Orphanage desperately needed our help." she said. "The place was in a bad way. That is why we felt it was right to help them."

Speaking on behalf of ARM, Motsepe said: "As African Rainbow Minerals we are committed to helping our people.

"This is our small way of developing our communities to help fight poverty and change our people's lives."

Tshepisong Orphanage has so far helped 45 orphaned children. The centre has other community-oriented projects such as skills development and training for dialogue moderators.

Fraser said that the centre also worked with HIV-Aids-infected people and affected communities.