Saving the last dance: Ocean View hero organises a special matric farewell for grateful learners
|Published
TIME OF OUR LIVES: Matric learners of Ocean View High at their matric farewell dance
An Ocean View woman has again helped needy matric pupils with a massive farewell event.
Mutheera Fortune says she promised not to get involved, but then her sickly relative told her about her dream of going to her farewell party.
On Friday, she had the event where 140 learners attended the ball at Muizenberg Civic Centre.
“My cousin told me Ocean View High wouldn’t be having a matric ball ceremony,” she explains.
“I felt bad for her, she is one person we never thought would make it to her matric because she had a tumour on her kidney as a baby, and now that she made it to Grade 12.
“I felt obliged to do something,” Mutheera adds.
“They managed to convince me to do the farewell even though I said I wasn’t going to do it again.”
She tells the Daily Voice they started raising funds in April.
“We sold boerewors rolls and we had people who adopted a matric pupil.
“We had companies who donated cakes and desserts.
“We had car clubs to drive the children but then one club, who had 50 kids on their list, cancelled.
“But the taxi drivers and the locals got the kids to the venue,” Mutheera explains.
She says learners from the school provided the entertainment.
This year, Mutheera adds, they had 140 kids, which is double the number from 2021.
“It was planned very beautifully and I am happy that things worked out for the kids.”
Farazana Delgado, 18, says since the pandemic struck, the school decided they wouldn’t have matric balls.
“I felt fine about it because my parents were going to give me one at home,” she says.
“But Mutheera came to school and announced that she would give us that. I was very happy when she said that.”
Tyree Jacobs adds he had an amazing time: “Friday was a big day, a community matric ball.
“In the beginning we thought we weren’t going to have one, but a lady came out of nowhere and said she would do it for us, it was an amazing feeling.
“The night went well, I was voted prom king and my partner queen,” he adds proudly.