Teboho Van Wyk was taken off the streets by a teacher in 2000 and was brought to Vumani. He was nine years old at the time, and he has been sleeping at the Centre ever since. He was placed in Grade 1 when he first arrived at Vumani and, after a wobbly start, he worked hard and is now in Grade 10 at Lereng High School. As with most of the boys, however, he is older than the majority of his classmates; he turns 20 this year, and he must move out of the Centre by the end of 2010. Housing must be built for him and we are currently on the lookout for somebody who is willing to sponsor him to help with this. Teboho is a keen footballer and plays both for his high school and his local soccer teams. He dreams of one day becoming a long-distance truck driver.
Lefa Lesikare moved into Vumani in 2007 because of poverty at home, and has been sleeping at the centre for the past three years. He works hard at school and is now in Grade 10 at Lereng High School. He is especially good at Science, English and Maths. He is also good with his hands, and has already started his own small business: he earns some pocket money by mending the shoes of the boys at the centre. He says he'd like to be a mechanic one day. He is lucky enough to have sponsors in Finland: Juha and Taina Murrulainen. He turns 17 this year and we hope to keep him at the Centre until he finishes Matric.
Thabang Thamae came to Vumani in 2004 because of problems of alcohol abuse and violence at home. Both his parents have died since then. He is currently in Grade 10 at Sehlabeng High School and is also a keen footballer who plays both for his high school and his local teams. He has been good at keeping up his correspondence with his Finnish sponsors: Matti and Aino Pirnes from Helsinki. As he turns 19 this year, he will soon be moving out of the Centre. Some money has been raised and housing has been built for him on his grandmother's site. His housing still needs electrical connection, however, and donations towards this would be much appreciated. Thabang will leave school at the end of Grade 10 and hopes to complete a one year technical training course in mechanical skills.
Sello Motsamai is an orphan who ran away from various foster homes until he brought himself to Vumani in 2006. He has been at the Centre since then and has made tremendous progress. After six months in high school, he gave up dagga and, two months later, he came top of his maths class. He is now in Grade 9 at Sehlabeng High School and plays for his school soccer team. He turns 20 this year and will hopefully move out of Vumani by the end of the year. He has found a place to stay but he needs a sponsor to help him pay rent and buy basic supplies such as paraffin and groceries. Sello will leave school at the end of this year and also hopes to find a sponsor to help him complete a year of technical training.
Sejane Malefane came to Vumani in 2007 because he was orphaned and had no relatives to stay with. He was addicted to dagga when he first arrived at the Centre, but gave it up in his first year of high school and is now well-integrated into the Centre. He is in Grade 9 at Sehlabeng High School and is a member of the school soccer team. Sejane turns 18 this year and is moving out of Vumani; he has already found a place to stay with Tsiu - a friend of his who is also orphaned. Sejane hopes to complete Grade 10 and then, if we can find him a sponsor, to do a year of tecnical training.
Sampi Mokoni brought himself to Vumani in 2004 because of poverty and overcrowding at home, and has been sleeping at the Centre ever since. He is currently in Grade 10 at Lereng High School, where his best subjects are Technology and Business Economics. He hopes to matriculate one day. Sampi enjoys soccer and is a quietly-spoken and helpful boy. He has indicated that he would like to have a pen-friend overseas. He turns 20 this year and he and his cousin, Tsediso Rampaleng, will be moving into housing on his family site. Sampi and Tsediso both need sponsors to help them get set up in their new place with basics such as groceries and paraffin.
Tsediso Rampaleng comes from a very large family and, because of poverty at home, moved into Vumani in 2006. Tsediso gets along well with all the boys at the Centre, is a good influence on the younger children and is a real asset to Vumani. He is currently in Grade 10 at Lereng High School and, if he can find a sponsor, hopes to matriculate. He is 21 years old and is one of the boys who will soon leave the Centre; he and Sampi are moving in together. Tsediso loves rap and pop music and even does some rapping himself!
Monyane Qhoai is our very first matriculant; Vumani supported him through school and in 2009, he completed Grade 12 at Sehlabeng High School. Monyane came to Vumani in 2004 after both his parents had died and there was no room for him in his aunt's house. At 21 years old, he is one of the oldest boys in the Centre and he plays the role of "prefect" - often taking the responsibility of cooking and supervising the younger boys in the evening. He has found a place he would like to move out to, but urgently needs sponsorship to help him buy furniture and basic household appliances. Monyane is currently receiving training from the Ladybrand Municipality in construction work. He is also a keen weightlifter, and one day dreams of joining the South African Army.
Dorothy Hall, March 2010
