Getto Rise Riders (GRR) handed over 19 boxes of sanitary towels to six schools in Ndlambe for their first round of donations on Monday, February 13.
The club was formed in 2020 by automotive enthusiasts who see their organisation as a place to exchange useful ideas to improve their car performance and promote responsible driving. GRR currently has 40 members.
After the tragic drowning of four children at Middle Beach in Kenton on Sea on New Year’s Day, GRR responded to the call of support to the family of the late Asive Nelo. “When we delivered food parcels and money to the Nelo family we didn’t just hand them over; we held a prayer service,” said GRR chairperson, Siyabulela Soul. “Each member of the club read Bible verses and offered words of wisdom to offer comfort to their home.”
The club’s treasurer, Andiswa Mangquntulu said their aim was to collect as many packs of sanitary towels as possible to donate to various schools in Ndlambe. They said this was an ongoing initiative and they are hoping they will be able to reach more schools in their next round of donations.
“As GRR members, we like to help where we are able to. Our aim is to get as many donations as we could and donate to all Ndlambe schools. We are hoping this drive will continue until we reach all the schools,” she said.
Club members also contributed R50 each to buy some of the sanitary towels.
They donated five boxes to Nompucuko Combined School in Marselle, four boxes to Dambuza Primary School, five boxes to Ikamvalesizwe Combined School in Kenton on Sea, two boxes to Mtyobo Primary School, three boxes to Port Alfred Primary School and 24 packs to Enkuthazweni Special Needs Centre in Nemato.
Soul said the club is bringing back dignity for young girls with the sanitary drive.
“We as a club saw a need to bring back the dignity of women at a young age. Having no sanitary towel at school can take away your concentration in class and the right to play freely.”
He related an incident they’d been told of in which a girls having her menstrual cycle had no pad.
“The boys laughed at her thinking all sorts of things – even accusing her of being sexually active. That’s when we saw a strong need to step in,” he said.
Another project that GRR took on last week Thursday, February 16 was helping the Bavuma family with organising a funeral for their newborn.
“The one-month old baby passed away on February 4 but has been at the mortuary since then because the family had no funeral cover and didn’t have the means for the burial,” said Mangquntulu.
The organisation went door-to-door asking for donations. This had assisted the family with buying a tombstone and wreath, hiring the tent and chairs for the funeral, sandwiches and juice to feed the mourners and also paid the taxi transporting family members to the cemetery.
“This family wrote us a message asking for assistance since they saw how we had helped other families in the community. The committee looked at their plea and approved the plan to go around door-to-door seeking donations,” she said.
