Afeefah, 8, rewarded for rhino work

Afeefah Patel has proved that you're never too young to make a big difference.

The eight-year-old became the youngest recipient of the SA Institute for Advancement's Inyathelo Philanthropy Award, in the category for children, in Cape Town on Tuesday.

In April last year she wrote a letter - published in The Times - to President Jacob Zuma in which she asked him to "look after the rhinos".

She also received SANParks' Kudu Award, which comes with a R20000 cash prize, R5000 of which was given to the Unite Against Poaching Fund.

The Times spoke to her yesterday.

Q: Do you think you are making a difference?

Yes, I wrote a letter to the president and he responded. I would now like to take him to the Kruger National Park and teach him all the things I have learned there.

Q: If you could send a message to poachers, what would it be?

Stop killing our rhinos. Our rhinos are not medicine!