Christmas came early to the needy families of Sesinyana Mulaudzi and Beauty Kgopana, following the delivery of food parcels to their village homes of Matshena last weekend.

Through the Adopt a Sun project, started by well-known journalist Ndivhuwo Musetha, a donation of two bags of 50kg mealie meal, 50kg bag of beans and soap, 12,5kg bag of sugar, a big packet of tea and many loaves of bread was made to family. The bread was donated by Pastor Isaac Dagada of Kanana bread.

The food parcels were delivered to the families at Matshena village, in Mutale near Ha-Manenzhe last Sunday by Pastor Dagada’s transport.

Musetha decided to arrange food parcels for the two families after he was touched by their indigent conditions when he was doing a story late last month. Musetha first met Sesinyana Mulaudzi, 10, when he was doing a story about how she was forced to repeat Grade 2 for the whole year because her needy single mother could not afford to pay R70 school fee that was needed at Matshena Primary.

Mulaudzi was only promoted to Grade 2 on October 16, after her mother Anna Mulaudzi managed to raise R140 that was needed for last year and this year.

During his visit to the family’s home, Musetha says he felt he had to do something for the families after he found that Mulaudzi ,who is staying with her elder sister, Christina, did not even have food or a candle to use for her studies.

Musetha later learnt about Kgopana, 15, who was also forced to repeat Grade 5 for the whole year because her unemployed single mother, Maemu Kgopana, was failing to pay her school fees. Kgopana was only promoted on October 30, after Mulaudzi story was exposed in the media.

Musetha started the project, Adopt a Sun, in 2004 when he organized food parcels to eight needy families around the province, including that of the late Anna Nthangeni, the granny who was suffering from leprosy.

He says he saw the need of these families while he was covering stories about them which prompted him to start this project that aims to encourage other people to help every needy person in their area.

Pastor Dagada has also pledged to donate more food parcels for the Mulaudzi and Kgopana families some few days before Christmas.

Musetha urges the community, including relatives, neighbours, community leaders, and businesspeople to try their best in helping the needy families in their respective communities so that everyone can enjoy life.

Mutale mayor, Masindi Manyuha, confirms that: "I knew about the harsh conditions of Mulaudzi family as they are known throughout the village as the most needy family."

Manyuha adds that it was wrong of him and the community at large to remain as specatators until the family’s problem got out of hand.

However, Manyuha pledges that he will make sure that the electricity box in the family’s one roomed house must be fixed as it has not been working for the past five years.

The spokesperson for the department of health and social development, Phuti Seloba, is also urging all community members to help needy families.

"What type of African are you when you enjoy a full plate of mealie pap, while a fellow African cannot even afford a cup of mealie meal?"