Miss South Africa Liesl Laurie knows what its like to be in need. There was an abundance of love and kindness, but very little spare cash to be spent on luxuries in the Eldorado Park, Johannesurg home she grew up in.
But, under the loving eye of her beloved grandmother, the matriarch who presided over the home filled with Laurie women (Liesl, her gran, her mum and her sister) Liesl learnt that wanting things was less fulfilling than helping other people get things they actually needed.
Which is why she has come up with the idea of helping others in need and has cracked open Liesl’s Little Piggy Bank – helped with a generous contribution of R200 000 from the Cell C Foundation.
She herself was overwhelmed when she found herself on the receiving end of a random act of kindness that allowed her to shine at a time when she needed it.
She’d entered the Miss South Africa competition, and had made it into the Top 12.
“Having made it into the Top 12 was a dream come true. But I was a little concerned about how I would get the outfits I needed. At this stage, you don’t have sponsors – you are responsible for dressing yourself.”
And that’s when her good fairy stepped in. “One of the women from my church told me she’d saved R5 000 for her son’s university registration fees. But he got several distinctions, and therefore was given a bursary.
“She no longer needed the money and, since she follows pageants and knows that the entrants have to dress themselves at this stage, knew I would need money.”
Liesl was grateful and astonished by her friend’s generosity, an act of kindness exactly when she needed it most.
“It felt wonderful to be able to go shopping; to walk into a shop and buy what I needed. I was a student, always living on a budget. Now I could splurge – well splurge a little!”
Liesl wants the campaign – Liesl’s Little Piggy Bank – to be part of her legacy.
“I want to touch people’s lives – whether it’s getting them a bed that they need, or helping them paint their house. The ripple effect of doing something to help someone else can be felt.
“If we all do what we can with what we have for the people we can reach, the world will be a safer, happier, better place.
“I’d like to be an example. I want people to remember what I did and to think: if she can help people, why can’t I?”
Liesl has her own Non Profit Organisation, The Pearl Project, which she says, “aims to create a beacon-of-hope club through motivational and educational workshops for young girls. These are held at schools in my community. I believe that being a blessing to others truly enriches my life.”
Managing Executive of the Cell C Foundation, Suzette van der Merwe said: “We are delighted to be associated with Liesl’s good works and very happy to help contribute to her Piggy Bank fund.”
If you think you might be someone Liesl can help, or if you want to nominate someone to be considered for Liesl’s Piggy Bank acts of kindness, please send an email to Liesl. Tell her your story in no more than 75 words and you could be the beneficiary of Liesl’s Piggy Bank. Be specific about your needs, and please note that this does not include cash. Liesl will consider, for example, someone needing a wheel chair; a shelter needing a sewing machine; a children’s home needing a new urn, a rural school child needing a bicycle.
Email: Liesl.piggybank@suninternational.com
Applications open on the 12th October and close on Friday, 30th October