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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