News from Ruth Mathala, a thriving FOCHTA beneficiary
Ruth Mathala is 17 years old and lives with her 60-year-old grandmother. Her mother and father died in 1997 when Ruth was 2 years old. She is the second born in a family of four. Unlike the first born who got married, Ruth chose to go further with school after refusing to get married at a young age.
Life was very tough when Ruth was selected to secondary school as there was nobody to pay for her school fees since her grandmother has no any income generating activity. In 2010, FOCHTA started helping her with school fees, school shoes, and clothes. Despite assistance from FOCHTA, Ruth has been lacking other clothes, and other school necessities.
In its relief programme, FOCHTA gave Ruth AUD$4 to buy notebooks. While on a two week holiday, Ruth learned from her friend how to bake scones. She then baked her own which she started selling using AUD$4 from FOCHTA. By the end of the holiday, Ruth made a profit of AUD$20. She used the money to buy: a pair of shoes, 1 mathematical instrument, 11 notebooks, 2 ball pens, 1 calculator, 1 school bag, soap and skin lotion. Ruth has since stopped the business and is concentrating more on her studies and is now in Form 2 at Luchenza Community Day Secondary school.
See the photo below with Ruth (5th from right) and members of the family displaying what she has bought. Her grandmother sits on the far left.