Books to help Aids orphans

Waitaki Boys High School librarian Hilary Bishop (left) and Getrude Matshe display some of the...
Waitaki Boys High School librarian Hilary Bishop (left) and Getrude Matshe display some of the books destined for Aids orphans in Zimbabwe. Photo by Sally Rae.
African-born Getrude Matshe was in Oamaru yesterday to pick up a very special consignment of books.

After hearing Mrs Matshe speak at a Zonta conference, Zonta Oamaru president Hilary Bishop, who is librarian at Waitaki Boys High School, organised about 300 books for the Africa Alive Education Foundation in Zimbabwe.

The foundation, which was founded by Mrs Matshe, looks after 350 Aids orphans and has a waiting list of 1500.

Books were "like gold" and she was "blown away" when Mrs Bishop said she had books for her.

Surplus books were removed from the school's library each year.

The books will be shipped to Africa and then trucked to Zimbabwe and personally delivered by Mrs Matshe when she returns at the end of June.

Mrs Matshe, who lives in Wellington, moved to New Zealand about eight years ago and returns to Africa about four times a year.

She has a medical recruitment agency and a casting agency and is also involved in property investing.

The author of two books, she is a motivational speaker and has engagements all over the world.

Children were her passion and she wanted to help young orphans gain an education.

Mrs Matshe also gave presentations to Waitaki Boys, Waitaki Girls, Oamaru Intermediate, Ardgowan and St Joseph's yesterday.

She wanted to inspire the school pupils to help young people on the other side of the world and also remind people how lucky they were.

When she returns to Zimbabwe in June, she will be accompanied by a group of New Zealanders who have offered "hands on" help in the community.

 

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