“VUT’s HRM & Natural Sciences visited Matwala’s Children’s Home, supporting kids, empowering communities & strengthening Women’s Month ties.”
09 September 2025 | Story By: Ngomane Gracious | Picture: Keitumetse Makgope.
3 minutes read time.
On 6 September 2025, the Vaal University of Technology’s (VUT) Human Resources Management (HRM) and Natural Sciences departments, together with the Christian Women’s League (CWL) of the Uniting Reformed Church in South Africa (URCSA), Debonairs and Turn & Tender from Vaal Mall, paid a meaningful visit to Matwala’s Children’s Home. This collaborative initiative underscored the university’s ongoing commitment to community development, social responsibility, and the care of vulnerable children. Debonairs Pizza’s contribution of food donations added an important corporate social investment dimension to the event.
The visit formed part of church-led activities marking the conclusion of Women’s Month, emphasising giving back and restoring hope among disadvantaged youth. Opening the gathering, Mrs Mathapelo Moletsane, HRM lecturer at VUT and chairperson of the CWL, warmly welcomed the attendees and children. She explained the church’s decision to end Women’s Month by dedicating efforts to the welfare of children in need, stressing the importance of compassion and service as values shared by both the church and the university.
Mrs Elizabeth Twala, founder of Matwala’s Children’s Home, shared the story of its establishment. She opened the house in 2003, with official non-profit registration following in 2008. Mrs Twala highlighted the many challenges of sustaining the home, particularly its financial pressures. While it currently provides care for 37 children, it receives no government funding and depends heavily on donations and community goodwill. Yet despite these obstacles, she proudly recounted success stories, noting that several of the children raised in the home have since grown into adults, married, and started families of their own.
Speaking on behalf of VUT, Ms Onica Matsheke, an HRM lecturer, expressed the university’s intention to establish long-term support programmes at Matwala’s Children’s Home. She announced plans for workshops tackling issues such as bullying and preparing the children for adulthood. These initiatives will focus on interview skills, letter writing, and broader communication abilities that will empower them as they move into further education and the world of work.
Adding to this message, Ms Malesole Bucibo, a Natural Sciences lecturer at VUT, reminded the gathering of the moral duty to serve others: “When you are a person, you do not live for yourself alone, but you also have to help other people.” Her words
reflected the central theme of the day: empathy, solidarity, and the collective responsibility to uplift the community.
Ms Disebo Mahlatsi, deputy chairperson of the CWL, extended heartfelt gratitude to all participants and assured Mrs Twala of continued support. She emphasised that the children were not Mrs Twala’s responsibility alone but were embraced by the wider community. She commended Mrs Twala’s dedication and acknowledged her vital role in addressing social challenges and fulfilling a higher calling to care for orphaned and vulnerable children.
Closing the event, Ms Relebohile Moletsane, a VUT student in Internal Auditing and recipient of the Vereeniging Lifetime Award, shared a message of encouragement drawn from Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Her words reminded Mrs Twala that her mission was not only a noble endeavour but also divinely inspired and deeply valued by the community.