Cape Town - Matric pupil Tashreeq Doovey said he looked forward to being a normal 17-year-old and focusing on his schooling following generous donations from friends and supporters to take the load off his back.
Tashreeq is his family’s sole breadwinner and collapsed while on his way home recently, due to exhaustion, as he has been juggling work and school, and was robbed of his cellphone.
Last week the teenager was gifted a phone and matric jacket by his friends and classmates at Windsor High School.
A parent of one of the learners, Roxanne Carter, heard Tashreeq’s story and started a Backabuddy campaign to help.
WINDSOR HIGH SCHOOL'S CLASS OF 2020 ROCKS!!! Apart from blessing their fellow classmate, Tashreeq Doovey, with a...
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By Monday the campaign had raised over R50 000 and Tashreeq said he had no words to describe how happy and grateful he was.
“I work on weekends and get home late and study. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it’s tiring work and it’s too much work for little money.”
Tashreeq said currently no one else in the family is employed and social grants are their only other income.
“This is amazing. I never expected anything like this. These donations mean I can focus on my studies and reach my full potential. My mother and father are so grateful, I don’t think my mother has wrapped her head around it. It’s happening so fast and unexpected.”
Tashreeq said he wants to pursue teaching. “I want to be a high school teacher, so I can help others also reach their potential. Knowledge is power and if I can transfer that to someone else and help them pull themselves out of the dust it would be amazing.”
He said the money will be used to cover their living expenses.
Carter said when her son, Dejaun, told her about how their class banded together to buy Tashreeq a new phone and a matric jacket, she knew she needed to help.
“My son showed me the video and I posted it on my social media. I was inundated with messages of people wanting to help and started the Backabuddy campaign. I was so proud of my son and the classmates that showed such selflessness to help a fellow classmate.”
She described Tashreeq as humble
and well mannered. “It warms my heart to assist someone this grateful.”
To assist Tashreeq visit: https://www. backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/tasreeq-doovey