Various organisations donated dresses, masks and shoes on Friday to learners at the Carel du Toit Special School in Bloemfontein. The schools principal, Carin Taute, says girls at the school received handmade dresses and all learners received masks as well as shoes.  

Taute says the faces of the learners lit up and she says it is always amazing to have guests at the school to show them how lifechanging a special needs school can be. 

Ronel Rose, founder of Mrs Rose, which is an online clothing retailer, says she started the company because she wants women to feel beautiful, to celebrate their confidence and to feel beautiful during every season. Rose tells OFM News that her company isn’t only passionate about giving back to the community, but also sustainability, and that’s why - with their excess fabrics - they made dresses for little girls at the Carl Du Toit Special School.

“Today we had the opportunity to help a very special school, because we want every girl and child to feel beautiful and special. It will benefit the kids by reminding them that they are special, I want every girl and child to know that they are special and that they are beautiful. Right now, people are isolated. Just by collaborating with people and giving back, it makes such a big difference,” Rose says.

Melizke Earle, a business owner in Bloemfontein, donated shoes to the Carl Du Toit Special School. Earle says these kids do not get much, so doing this makes everyone’s heart joyful. Earle further says there aren’t many people who can say or do things like this and she tries to help everywhere she can.

“To have more people like us helping people in this pandemic is basically for everyone to realise that we all need to stand together to help the unfortunate, because I mean many people do not have enough, or anything. Every little bit helps and I think if everyone can help and join so that we can give them more,” Earle adds.

Taute says they have had many challenges during Covid-19 with having to teach from home. Taute says this was especially a challenge, where some learners with disabilities are dependent on face to face tuition. The school has 37 learners currently from the ages of 3 years old, all the way up to the third grade. Taute says from next year they will expand and accept learners up to Grade 7, which will qualify them as a complete primary school.

OFM News/Blaine Jones