Children at Kameeldrift Early Learning Centre had huge smiles on their faces after they received personalized gift packs from the Santa Shoebox Project. The project is supported by the Ford Motor and aims to bring joy to thousands of underprivileged children across the country.
Lilly Ledwaba, Principal of the centre said the children could not afford basic necessities. Having shoeboxes with treats was a dream come true for them and their parents. “We rely heavily on donations to keep this centre running. If it wasn’t for the generosity of institutions, government departments and organizations like the Santa Shoebox, we would have nothing,” she said.
The gift packs included a toothbrush and toothpaste, facecloth, soap, school supplies, an outfit of clothing, sweets and a toy. The presents are delivered in a bright red Ford Transit, instantly “related” to Santa. Donors registered for a drop-off in their area’s during the months of October and November 2020. They also had the option of creating shoeboxes for children in and around their community.
Santa Shoebox Project Regional Manager, Margie Kostelac said this year they had managed to reach their goal of donating to 1 million children since they started in 2006. “When we started in Cape Town that year, we delivered to about 2 000 children. From there we have kept growing. And to have reached this far is truly special to us; we would not have done it without the donors,” said Kostelac.
She described the event as the most phenomenal feeling in the world, saying when the children saw the red vehicle from as far as 500m away, they started running towards it while singing and dancing.
Minesh Bhagaloo, Ford General Manager of Communications said due to the devastating toll that Covid-19 had had on the country’s economy, such treats were things many took for granted. “Helping Santa Shoebox to deliver the millionth shoebox is a truly rewarding and humbling experience and lives up to our brand values of going further and helping others,” he said.
