Jacaranda FM DJ’s Random Act Of Kindness Inspires Secunda Community To Rally Up For Local Children’s Home

Jacaranda FM DJ Martin Bester and his band were warming up the Mpumalanga town of Secunda last week as part of the poplar ‘Warmfees’ festival. As the name suggests, the festival aims to warm up the country, bringing together some of South Africa’s biggest acts together on one stage offering free entrance for those who donate a warm blanket.

As part of its outreach program, the festival invited children and staff of the SAVF Secunda Child and Youth Centre to enjoy a day of entertainment. The home opened its doors in October last year to answer the growing need of a safe, loving and caring space for abandoned, abused and vulnerable children. The home currently cares for 16 children, with another eight expected to join soon.

After hearing about the incredible work the home does for the community in Secunda, Martin Bester was so inspired that, during his performance at the festival, he pledged to donate R1 000 to help the home continue the incredible work they have been doing.

This random act of kindness inspired other people and brands at the festival to step up and donate. Dew Fresh pledged an additional R27 000 and a further R60 000 was pledged by concertgoers at the festival. This is all on top of the R170 000 already raised for the home at the festival.

After hearing about this heart-warming moment, Jacaranda FM’s Good Morning Angels fund surprised the home with aniother R50 000 towards the SAVF Child and Youth Centre’s transport effort.

“Something really amazing happened at the end of the show at the Secunda Warmfees when the kids from the Secunda Child and Youth Centre came up on stage and sang a song for the crowd. I was so touched by their performance that I offered to donate an additional R1000 to the home and that opened the floodgates of generosity from the community,” Martin Bester shares. “Eventually, the home walked away with close to R300 000 of donations from people wanting to contribute to the home. This is an amazing start to the Warmfees tour. Next up we are doing Polokwane on the 9th of June followed by Mbombela on the 17th of June and Benoni on the 24th of June and wrapping it up in the first weekend of July in Pretoria and Rustenberg.”

Listen to Good Morning Angels every Wednesday morning on Jacaranda FM’s Breakfast With Martin Bester.