Masindi Raselabe, the founder of the recently established Blacque Outreach organisation, is determined to make a difference in the lives of underprivileged learners in rural schools.
Hailing from Ha-Matidza in Nzhelele, the 34-year-old's organisation is dedicated to providing assistance to those in need. Raselabe's motivation stems from her realisation that many families struggle to afford basic toiletries for their school-going children, which often leads to learners' missing school. To address this issue, Blacque Outreach has been conducting dignity drives at primary schools and community churches.
This month alone, the organisation donated 760 sanitary towels and 20 bags of toiletries to learners at Mapakophele Primary School and churches around Thembaluvhilo village in the Nzhelele area.
Raselabe believes that restoring a child's dignity by providing essentials such as sanitary towels can significantly boost their self-esteem and encourage consistent attendance at school, ultimately improving their chances of academic success.
Her vision extends beyond just providing sanitary towels and toiletries. "During the drives, I realised that a lot of learners do not have school shoes and uniforms. My focus for the next drive (which happens every August) is to add uniforms and school shoes for kids in need," she said.
"Currently, my donors are friends and family, and they never fail to support me, but my wish is for businesses around Nzhelele to also get involved and assist me with donations," she said.