A group of young friends, who were tired of only hearing bad things about Vygieskraal, decided to give their community an image makeover.
They started a group, Rising Against Poverty, to uplift their peers and promote unity.
And since February is the month of love, they decided their first fund-raiser would be a Valentine’s beauty pageant. Dylon Breda, 20, said he had the idea for a pageant, although, at first, he had only mentioned it as a joke.
“My friends thought it was a good idea, and they viewed it seriously. This was also a good opportunity to bring the community together and to spread the word of loving one another and encouraging unity. We are doing this for the children. We need to set a good example, and we should let go of our judgemental ways,” Dylon said.
His friend, Nadeelah Koopman, 20, said they wanted to “bring the community together, and not sow division”.
Dylon went door to door to collect money to put their plan in motion.
“Many people in the community and a few businesses supported us. I managed to collect R1 000, and we used that money to buy party packets and prizes for the children,” Dylon said.
They soon got a team together to do the pageant participants’ hair and make-up. The team included: Charmaine Pitts, Priscilla Peters, Shanice Phillips, Chanelle Pitts, Monique Pitts and Shamalia Phillips.
Said Charmaine: “This is very important for us. We did not have this opportunity when we were young. We have to do things to uplift our children.”
The pageant was held at the only park in Vygieskraal, and a nominal amount of R2 was charged for those who wanted to be in the audience.
The group said the proceeds would be used for future projects, including an Easter egg hunt.
Rising Against Poverty is supported by the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church’s Anthea Abrahams who said R1 100 had been raised at the pageant, and that the money was handed over to her for safekeeping, until it will be used for the Easter egg hunt.
