Xander Jasaga, the matric learner at Peak View Secondary School, who reached out to the Daily Voice for help with donations for his Tourism excursion, says he got more than he bargained for from generous readers.
Xander, 17, from Heideveld started washing wheelie bins and cars in his area to save money for an educational trip to Durban.
The six-day trip next month is for Grade 12 Tourism and Geography learners, and the cost per learner is R4500.
The Daily Voice article started trending on Facebook when his teacher Miss Asanda Hlamandana posted it and Xander says just two hours later an anonymous donor reached out and paid for his entire trip.
An excited Xander says: “I am so thankful to everyone who reached out, I appreciate it. It is unexplainable just to see my mommy happy and she doesn't need to stress anymore.
“I only managed to raise R1153 from washing the bins and cars, then my teacher called me to say an anonymous donor paid for my trip. I was speechless and almost cried in class.”
“I got so many phone calls from people wanting to donate and even job offers for next year in Tourism.”
The teen has donated his R1153 savings to his mom “to help around the house”.
He even received a phone call saying that tourists from the USA would like to help him.
“I was shocked. I met them on Saturday morning in the Golden Acre. They wanted to pay for my trip but I told them it is already paid for. They asked what I needed and took me on a shopping spree and bought me clothes.”
He says that he will continue washing bins and cars and now has even more customers. The money will go towards helping his family.
marsha.dean@inl.co.za
Daily Voice