In a world where need is often met with silence, Mapule Ratsoeu speaks loudly, not with words, but with action through her NGO, the Leanolamodimo Foundation.
For more than a decade, the 41-year-old from Randfontein, Gauteng, has quietly built a legacy of kindness and care, rooted in one simple belief: that every child deserves dignity.
Ratsoeu said it all began with seeing barefoot schoolboys walking past her home. The sight struck her deeply. Moved by their struggle, she hosted a local event where the “entry fee” was school shoes and uniforms. That was in 2008, and she hasn't stopped giving since.
“I live close to Matlapaneng Primary School, and children are always passing by my house. So, one day, I saw some children without shoes and it did not sit well with me. I felt obliged to help where I could.
“I know the pain of needing something and not having it, because I remember being in the same situation growing up. I promised myself that if I see children suffering like that, I would have to do something,” said Ratsoeu.
I know the pain of needing something and not having it, because I remember being in the same situation growing up. I promised myself that if I see children suffering like that, I would have to do something
— Mapule Ratsoeu
Her charity work includes collecting and distributing clothes, uniforms, sanitary pads, food parcels, and more, all from her modest home.
While others wait for funding, Ratsoeu knocks on the doors of her neighbours. She designs posters to call for donations, collects goods from residents, and travels to places like hostels and disadvantaged homes to hand them over.
“I do not have a centre,” she said, “so I move around. Wherever I see children in need, I go. I have lived that life. I know what it means to sleep without food. That’s why I do this; it is something I wish someone would have done for me as well,” she said.
Her work is focused on children, particularly girls, because she knows the pain of going to school hungry, of missing class because there are no sanitary pads and of being invisible in a world that should protect you.
Each winter, she makes sure to also run feeding schemes, cooking from her home and serving hot meals to dozens of children. Her most recent drive fed children four times during the coldest months, with help from community volunteers and businesspeople.
“I only registered my business recently, even though I have run it for years. It is named after my son, and is very close to my heart. There are people who have assisted me – I am surrounded by generous individuals around Mohlakeng – and I hope that one day I can get a corporate sponsor.
“People give what they can, sometimes it is non-perishable food, and sometimes it is second-hand clothing. I don’t ask for much. I just take what people offer and make it work,” Ratsoeu said.
Her ultimate dream is to one day have a permanent orphanage or centre, a safe space where children can come after school, receive food, clothing, and care. A place that says you matter, even when the world forgets.
But even without a building, she is already in that place; a centre of love, hope, and quiet power. When she is not doing charity work, she’s simply being a mom, dreaming of new ways to do more with the little she has.
As we celebrate Women’s Month, Ratsoeu reminds us that heroism is not always loud. Sometimes, it is in the quiet resilience of a woman who sees a need and chooses to act.
ratsatsik@sowetan.co.za
SowetanLIVE
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