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Goodies cheer up the kids

GIVING HAND: Patliso Magape-Mokoto, left, manager of the Boikagong Children's Home, Herman Ramokala, service point manager of Ditsobotla, Lindi Obose, Mpumelelo Nhlapo of the the provincial social development department and Nomvuka Nomnga, director of Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality. Pic. John Matona. 01/09/08. © Unknown.
GIVING HAND: Patliso Magape-Mokoto, left, manager of the Boikagong Children's Home, Herman Ramokala, service point manager of Ditsobotla, Lindi Obose, Mpumelelo Nhlapo of the the provincial social development department and Nomvuka Nomnga, director of Ngaka Modiri Molema district municipality. Pic. John Matona. 01/09/08. © Unknown.

Elisha Molefe

Elisha Molefe

It takes a nation to raise a child. These were the sombre words of the of Boikagong Children's Home centre manager in Mmabatho when Mama Angel donated clothes and other goodies to the children on Tuesday.

Overwhelmed by happiness, Patliso Magape-Mokoto told Lindi Obose, who heads the Sowetan Mama Angel movement, that no words can express the happiness felt by the children and management.

"All we can say is thank you," Magape-Mokoto said.

Mama Angel was laden with clothes, child DVDs, bags and other things.

"The story that appeared in Sowetan a while ago about children who were left in the care of their 11-year-old sister touched the hearts of many people.

"As a newspaper we felt that we must do our bit to help the children," Obose said.

Herman Ramokala, a manager at the department of social development in North West, commended Sowetan on the way it handled the story of four children neglected by their parents.

An 11 year-old was left to take care of her two younger brothers, a seven-year-old epileptic, and a four-year-old.

It is alleged that their mother squandered the children's grants on her new boyfriend. When Sowetan visited the family the mother had been absent for three months.

The mother was arrested on child neglect charges after the report. She was released on warning by the Itsoseng magistrate's court and will appear again soon.

"It shows that the interests of the children were taken to heart," Ramokala said.

"But the journey is still on. The children must experience family life."

Ramokala thanked the various organisations that helped the children in their hour of need.

"The story was not about destroying the good image of the department but to address the social ills in our society," Ramokala said. "We appreciate the partnership with Sowetan."

During the handover the children at the centre were excited, especially with the gift of DVDs from Mama Angel.

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