100 Madiba birthday cupcakes for kids

Christmas came in July for youngsters at the Eastern Province Child and Youth Care Centre, when a group of professional cookery students from its Raymond Mhlaba Training Centre baked 100 cupcakes for them as their good deed for Madiba Day.

The cupcakes were handed to the children on Monday as an early celebration of what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 100th birthday on Wednesday July 18.

Raymond Mhlaba Skills Training Centre manager Gemma Ebersohn, said this was a small initiative to make the children happy.

“Receiving gifts makes anyone happy and that is what we wanted for the children.

“At the centre, we constantly try to uphold Mandela’s values. “Madiba believed children should be celebrated, he wanted us to invest in the youth and that is what we do: We upskill youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“All these children are talented; their work with the cupcakes was amazing.

“The little ones from the home will be happy to receive such beautifully decorated, delicious cupcakes.”

Professional cookery facilitator at the Raymond Mhlaba Skills Training Centre Amoré du Plessis said a lot of research had gone into the decoration of the cupcakes.

“The students and I had to think about the design and they really showed enthusiasm towards the idea.

“The African continent lollypop on the cupcake is made of rice crispies and symbolises a rainbow nation and Madiba’s love for Africa.

“The black hand with the heart inside is a combination of Madiba’s favourite colour, black, translated into the Eastern Province Child and Youth Care Centre’s motto of Hope, Love and Care,” Du Plessis said.

The Eastern Province Child and Youth Care Centre is the oldest such facility in the province and home to 100 youngsters.