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Two remarkable young ladies, driven by a passion to make a difference, successfully organised a charity drive to gather school clothes desperately needed by the MTR Smit Children’s Haven in Gqeberha, highlighting a spirit of generosity and community support.
The initiative was spearheaded by Caitlin Conwood, an ambassador for V-Models PE, and aided by 14-year-old Melia Fourie. Their dedication and hard work resulted in the collection of a significant amount of school clothes for children in need.
The official handover ceremony took place recently, with Conwood presenting the donations to Johanette Delport from the haven.
Conwood’s motivation to support young lives and those less fortunate led her to choose this particular institution for the charity drive. Her decision was influenced during a visit to the children’s home during the December holidays, where she spent time getting to know the children and understanding their needs.
“Actually, my very first official visit was back in 2018, when I was in Grade 10 and we had a Life Orientation project. We needed to spend two hours with the kids while playing games and getting to know them. Never did I think I would have such a ball with them; I did not want to leave! We really do under-estimate the power of just having a simple conversation with a stranger, or just simply smiling at someone when you see them; it honestly is the little things that have the biggest impact,” Conwood said.
“Now the kids come running and jumping when they see my mom and me, and this was when I decided to always give back to these kids, because it truly made them happy and that was my motivation to keep visiting MTR Smit,” she added.
For Conwood, the most rewarding thing about this journey is giving back and not getting anything in return.
“Just that feeling of ‘I can help someone go to school without having to be laughed at because they don’t have socks to wear with their school shoes, or because they have yellow stains and holes on their white school shirts, is very heart-warming; it motivates me to do more,” she stated.
Fourie echoed Conwood’s sentiments saying that helping others, especially those in need, makes her heart smile.
“The appreciation shown by the people we help is the most rewarding thing for me. I am very grateful to be part of this journey, and I will always remember the smiles I get, and the happiness I experience.”
Next up for Conwood is spreading more kindness in the metro.
“I’m planning to spend much more time with the kids at the children’s home, seeing that they do have annual events that I’ve been invited to by the lady in charge, and just to keep the kids entertained and to distract them from the challenges they still face. I also want to help the elderly at the frail care home in Gelvandale as well, and many other projects that are in the works, but I don’t want to reveal too much, in case we jinx it,” the beauty queen concluded.
V-Models’ Venessa Weber said that the generosity and commitment displayed by Conwood, Fourie, and the entire V-Models team, exemplify the power of individuals coming together to positively impact their community.
“Their efforts have undoubtedly brought smiles to the faces of the children at MTR Smit Children’s Haven, and have made a significant difference in their lives,” she concluded, beaming with pride.
