By Janine Heggenstaller
‘As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persists in the world, none of us can truly rest’ – Nelson Mandela (www.mandela.gov.za, accessed 27-7-2016).
Children are the future of South Africa and bring joy and hope into the world. Some are born into loving and advantageous homes, whereas others are not. This fact alone however, should not shape the life of a young and aspiring child and spoil their hopes and dreams. It is with this in mind that the class from the School for Legal Practice in Bloemfontein (Bloemfontein School) decided to reach out and embark on a journey with a less fortunate group of young children. On 9 July, the Bloemfontein School made it their mission to bring renewed aspirations to these children and give them a sense of belonging in society. The group travelled to Lebone House in Bloemfontein for a community engagement task. The orphanage was established in May 2000 by the AIDS Mission Outreach Trust and opened its doors as a day care facility for HIV/AIDS infected and affected children.
The Bloemfontein School made contact with a number of law firms, as well as other businesses in the Bloemfontein area and shared their ideas on how they can contribute to Lebone House and the children. Many firms shared the Bloemfontein School’s vision and made numerous donations.
With the help of these generous donations, the Bloemfontein School was able to purchase a large quantity of paint and together with their man-power, began to paint the school buildings. The idea behind the newly painted buildings, was not only to bring joy to the children, but also to bring a sense of pride. For the Bloemfontein School, it is important to strive for more than just justice in the legal world, but also to give back to a community that was in need of a helping hand and some kindness. To give back to the community brings with it a sense of fairness towards those who were dealt unfair setbacks in life.
The painting of the school buildings was not the only task chosen. It was important for the Bloemfontein School to also do something more personal for the children. The Bloemfontein School further purchased blankets and winter jackets for the children, giving them warmth and something to call their own.
The Bloemfontein School was truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to have had the support and donations from –
Without these generous donations, the Bloemfontein School would not have been able to make their vision a reality.
Janine Heggenstaller is a student at the School for Legal Practice in Bloemfontein.
This article was first published in De Rebus in 2016 (Sept) DR 8.
