Volunteer mom adopts teen

SITHABILE Mazibuko left her husband in charge of their three children and set off on a year-long adventure to volunteer at an Eastern Cape children's home.

Now the 47-year-old is getting ready to return home - and she will be taking along a new sibling for her brood, as she is adopting a 16-year-old boy from the home.

Mazibuko took a sabbatical from her lecturing job at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in April and became one of 10 volunteers in the inaugural Vodacom Change the World campaign.

She said she was "deeply touched" by the experience of working at the East London Child and Youth Care Centre, adding that it had changed her life "forever".

While working there, she became aware of the plight of the 16-year-old boy, who had grown up at the centre after being abandoned at birth.

"He would be the only one left there while everyone else went to relatives for the holidays," she said.

Mazibuko then started fetching him on Fridays to spend weekends with her so that he also could have a home to go to.

"Sometimes he calls me 'Ma' and sometimes 'Auntie'. He's never really had someone to call 'Ma' before.

"The only time we ever spoke of his background was after we'd just met. I asked if he'd be willing to tell me how he ended up at the home. He said 'No' and we left it at that."

She described him as a "quiet somebody" who loved his music and always had earphones on. "He started Grade 10 this year, and he's tall, thin and handsome."

Mazibuko said she took the teenager home for the first time last year, and her family had a party for him to celebrate his birthday and "to welcome him home".

Speaking of the adoption, which is in the process of being formalised, Mazibuko said: "I grew up in a home where it was not just me and my siblings. My mother took in cousins and even children from the school where she taught."

She said the centre was "thrilled" to learn of her interest in him. "Although they do their very best for each child, they acknowledge that a healthy family environment is far better than the institutionalised care they provide."

Mazibuko's role during the volunteer stint - which ends in April - was to develop individualised remedial learning programmes for children at the facility.

• Vodacom is inviting skilled professionals to enter for this year's Vodacom Change the World initiative. Those chosen to work at selected charities around the country will be paid a stipend for the duration of their volunteer stint, which is scheduled to start in April.