Benson Ntlemo

Benson Ntlemo

A Limpopo rural woman has catapulted herself to the spotlight after she gave uniforms to 13 destitute pupils from seven schools, and gave shoes to five children who walked to school barefoot.

Tsakani Mabasa also urged members of the community to join the war against poverty.

Speaking at Salema during the handover, Mabasa, who heads Saselamani Community Care, was described in glowing terms by speakers who included representatives of the school, traditional leaders and the local and ward councillor.

Mabasa, a staunch member of the Apostolic Faith Mission Church, said after she passed her Grade 12 examinations, she stayed at home looking after her three children.

She is the wife of local schoolteacher Charles Mabasa.

"When I looked around, I saw many children suffering and started the home-based care," she said.

That was in 1998.

She approached the government and asked for funds to help destitute children and the government obliged.

More than 200 children are fed every day before and after school.

Mabasa said she was not rich and knew she could not fight poverty alone.

"What we are doing is to draw the plight of these kids to the attention of the nation because if they have no shoes, even if we feed them, they will not be confident at school," she said.

Thulamela Municipality local ward councillor Sam Chabane urged the lucky pupils to be on the straight and narrow because Mabasa had shown that they were not alone and if they worked hard they would succeed.

The pupils she helped are from Mahlohlwani, Hlengani and Mphakati primary schools, as well as Shikundu, Dlamani and Madaji high schools.