At the age of 12, Bonolo is already a philanthropist within her community

By Jonk wa Mashamba

news@alexreporter.co.za

After hearing about an extraordinary 12-year-old daughter of Alexandra, east of Johannesburg, my curiosity led me to organize a quick interview with her mother.

On my way to her home at the tenth Roosevelt, I got lost. Bonolo’s mother, Tebogo Moahludi (55), is waiting outside and beckoning me as I inform her of my loss to her home.

Luckily, Bonolo, a sixth-year learner at Dr Knak primary School, stands in the hallway wearing a black mask and greets me with an elbow.

She then disinfects me and gives me three disinfectants to take with me to my house. “In this home, we give,” she smiles.

While I sit down, Bonolo tells me immediately that she, with the help of her mother, began a soup kitchen in 2016. And in 2018, her non-profit organization named “Caring Sisters” was registered.

With the allowance her mother gives her, she is able to save so that she can use it to buy hot dogs and feed disadvantaged children in the area.

“I started Soup Kitchen, which is currently closed. But I’m opening it again because of the popular demands,” she says.

She had to inform a group of children who came to her home after school hours to do her homework that she was not available today due to visits from the media.

“Because I do very well in school, I can help them excel as well.”

In addition to helping her peers do their homework, her non-profit organization offers programs like Read & Spelling, Child Trafficking, among others.

Bonolo, who recently joined Save The Children South Africa, and is the youngest, she has been very loud against bullying in local schools.

Her voice was triggered by the recent stabbing of a 15-year-old boy who was the victim of bullying at an elementary school in Alexandra. The boy succumbed to the injuries.

Following the incident, she recorded a video which she intends to send to the Gauteng MEC for Education, Panyaza Lesufi.

She says in the video, she wants to ask the MEC to increase security in the schools.

“Children need to be searched from head to toe. Literally, even in their shoes because you’ll never know what kind of weaponry they might be hiding. There must be tighter security.”

When asked what, in her opinion, causes bullying, she says, “I think it’s anger at home due to poor communication.

“There should be weekly bullying sessions to make sure that bullying is unacceptable. It doesn’t bother me to do the sessions myself because I’ve done it before.”

Prior to joining Alex FM as the host of Bigger Than Life on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., she led the morning and evening prayers on YDFM.

Bonolo, big fan of the international singer Lady Gaga, loves pets. During her recent visit to the Denmark embassy in Pretoria, led by Save the Children South Africa, she was seen jovial while posing with a puppy.

She wants to become a veterinary surgeon.

“But I’m not sure I’m ready because I’m scared of birds, especially when they’re paralyzed.”

She said that children were entitled to choose the career they wanted, adding that it was also wise to listen to parents.

“Even if your parents press you to pursue a dream that you don’t have, pursue it and see how it goes.

“The dream that your parents want you to pursue, just put it as an option, just in case your dream doesn’t go according to your plan. Because another option always comes in handy.

“Be yourself. And if you’re a young girl, don’t forget about the 7Bs our parents taught us: Books Before Boys Because Boys Bring Babies.”

According to her mother, parents have a vital role to play in the lives of their children.

She stresses that there are many children like Bonolo, but because of the lack of support they cannot be recognized.

“It’s not about how clever a child is; it’s about the attention you pay to them. When the child returns from school, sit with them, check their homework, see where they are missing and be able to guide them.

“There are many children that are like Bonolo, but they cannot be identified due to the situation in their home.

“I would like to encourage women to love their children. Let us treasure and nurture our children. Kids can adopt their parents’ love in school. But if violence happens in the home, a child will start bullying.”

Bonolo’s got a lot of other children that respect her.

Eunice Sithole (12) who is in Grade 7 in a local school is one of them. She tells me she always listens to Bonolo on Alex FM.

I didn’t meet her in person, but I was very inspired by her,” she said.

Another is Ntsako Baloyi (12) who says most children grow up to the tertiary level with low self-esteem because of lack of support from parents.

“Some of us have no idea of our career choices. Because our parents never even care about us.”