Minister Pandor receives the World’s Children’s Honorary Award

3 September 2007
 
The Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, has today become the fourth South African to receive the World’s Children’s Honorary Award.

Minister Pandor joins former President, Mr Nelson Mandela, Ms Graca Machel and former Education Minister, Prof Kader Ismail, as Honorary Friend of World Children’s Prize for the Right of the Child (WCPRC).

Pandor was nominated and presented with the Award by Ms Gabatshwane Gumede, a 13 year-old learner from Ruskraal Primary School in North West Province, who is also the only official representative of the International Child Jury in South Africa.

The Children of the Jury are expects on the Rights of the Child as a result of their own experiences. Ms Gumede, herself is an orphan.  Her parents died of HIV/AIDS related diseases. 

Presenting the Minister with the Award, she said. “One day, Hon Minister, I was so hungy and praying to God to bring my mother back so she would give me food, then I saw Mr Mandela giving food to children on TV, that made me wonder that if we had more people doing what he does, we would have a better and friendly society for all our people.”

Ms Gumede says beside her work as a HIV/AIDS activist and the Children’s Right Ambassador, she is very concerned about other children “who are not taking opportunities available to their fullest and those who are out of school because of various reasons.”

In accepting the Award, Minister Pandor thanked Ms Gumede for the hard work she was doing in helping other children, particularly her peers.  The Minister committed herself to play her role as the Honorary Friend of the Children much more meaningfully.

Ms Gabatshwane Gumede can be contacted on 082 547 1405.

Issued by Ministry of Education

Minister Pandor receives the World’s Children’s Honorary Award

3 September 2007
 
The Minister of Education, Ms Naledi Pandor, has today become the fourth South African to receive the World’s Children’s Honorary Award.

Minister Pandor joins former President, Mr Nelson Mandela, Ms Graca Machel and former Education Minister, Prof Kader Ismail, as Honorary Friend of World Children’s Prize for the Right of the Child (WCPRC).

Pandor was nominated and presented with the Award by Ms Gabatshwane Gumede, a 13 year-old learner from Ruskraal Primary School in North West Province, who is also the only official representative of the International Child Jury in South Africa.

The Children of the Jury are expects on the Rights of the Child as a result of their own experiences. Ms Gumede, herself is an orphan.  Her parents died of HIV/AIDS related diseases. 

Presenting the Minister with the Award, she said. “One day, Hon Minister, I was so hungy and praying to God to bring my mother back so she would give me food, then I saw Mr Mandela giving food to children on TV, that made me wonder that if we had more people doing what he does, we would have a better and friendly society for all our people.”

Ms Gumede says beside her work as a HIV/AIDS activist and the Children’s Right Ambassador, she is very concerned about other children “who are not taking opportunities available to their fullest and those who are out of school because of various reasons.”

In accepting the Award, Minister Pandor thanked Ms Gumede for the hard work she was doing in helping other children, particularly her peers.  The Minister committed herself to play her role as the Honorary Friend of the Children much more meaningfully.