Foundations step in as poor family can’t afford initiation

As part of giving back to the community they live in, Embo Madoda Foundation and Lisa Foundation helped a 20-year-old man go to initiation school and celebrated his home coming on Saturday.

The 20-year-old whose name is known by the paper was struggling and his family could not send him to initiation school.

Photo: Tembile Sgqolana

The collaboration between the two foundations which has helped more than 10 families since 2004, was praised by the family claiming that they had no means as no one is employed in the family.

The family said all his friends had already went to initiation, but as the family was struggling financially they could not afford the money as it costs more than R20 000 to prepare for initiation.

Before assisting him, they made him promise that he will do his matric and be the first one in the family to do grade 12.

Photo: Tembile Sgqolana

His grandfather said they depend on old age grant and could not afford to send him to initiation school.

“I wish they can continue with what they are doing as young men end up killing themselves when families don’t have means to send them to initiation school,” he said.

He said these foundation have been doing this for years and are changing the community and making young men.

“The initiate does not have parents and stays with his aunt who depends on childrens grant,” he said.

Photo: Tembile Sgqolana

Lisa Foundations Siphendule Lisa said after seeing a young man who loves his book they collaborated with Embo Madoda and assist the family.

“We encouraged him to continue going to school in order to cut the generationa curse at his family and he made us proud and decided as both foundations to take over all initiation costs,” he said.

He said what is motivating is that Embo Madoda has more than 20 years of zero deaths and the assistance it gives to the community is overwhelming.

Embo Madoda’s Sithembele Yamaphi said it is their duty as Embo Madoda to plough back to the community.

“Each year we have two or three initiates which we help go through initiation for free. We don’t want anything from them all we want is for them to go to school,” he said.

Yamaphi said they will assist the initiate register at a college and shape his future and that of his family.