Durban - Instead of spoiling himself for his 15th birthday, a Queensburgh teen decided to buy groceries for 25 families who are struggling to cope during the lockdown.
Colton Manuel, who celebrated his birthday last week, said he decided to use the money he had saved and received for his birthday to buy the hampers, after he saw on TV how the lockdown was affecting the poor.
The Grade 10 pupil at Meadowlands Technical High School took to Facebook on his birthday
and shared the #ColtonsBirthdayChallenge.
“I turned 15 today and, because we are in lockdown, I decided that for my birthday this year I will use the money that I collected for shoes and clothes, to make food hampers for 25 families who need the help,” he said.
He encouraged people to inbox him the details of people who
were in need of hampers, and challenged his peers and the public to do the same.
He said more than 100
people had reached out for help and
he wished he was able to help them all.
The hampers were given to families in the Queensburgh and Chatsworth areas.
“It felt good and sad at the same time because I saw how the people were living, but I’m happy that I played my part,” he said.
His parents Ricardo and Deidre Manuel said they were proud of their son.