Since 2020, Khayakazi Nonyatela (27) of Zipunzana Locality, under the Nyandeni Local Municipality, has made it her mission to ensure that children from disadvantaged families in her community get to enjoy Christmas like their counterparts from fortunate families.
At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Khayakazi established a non-profit organisation called Masibambane South Africa Organisation, which she uses as a vehicle to spread cheer among needy children aged between three and 15.
This she does through hosting an annual Christmas party, where she serves them meals and showers them with gifts, whilst also ensuring that those without brand new clothes for Christmas Day are catered for.
Khayakazi says this is a self-funded initiative which was started through a student allowance she received from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
Khayakazi is a student at the King Sabata Dalindyebo TVET College’s Libode Campus.
“The idea of starting a non-profit organisation was conceived during the lockdown that was imposed to curtail the spread of COVID-19 in 2020, after having realised the devastating impact the lockdown brought to already struggling families within my community.”
“This really saddened me, and I could not sit and do nothing about the situation. Fortunately, I had money that was a student allowance from NSFAS, as well as savings from various temporary jobs I am doing, which I used to buy them food, clothes, and Christmas gifts that year,” said Khayakazi.
She says that she has kept the charity initiative, which has benefited over 250 children over the year, going by funding it from her own savings.
A local retail shop has also come on board, by supplying her with fruit since she started the initiative.
Khayakazi says she needs both corporate and private individuals to partner with her by supplying toiletries, school uniforms and school shoes, as she aims at extending her charitable work to under-privileged schools.
She added that there is a lot in the pipeline as her dream is to establish an arts centre, a safe house for abandoned children and victims of abuse, as well as a computer centre that young people can use to access job opportunities and to apply to study at tertiary institutions.
Khanyakazi has roped in the help of two young people in her community to assist her in her charitable work.
