A 25-year-old law student from Limpopo has turned her own experience of poverty into a powerful mission to help vulnerable children in her community.
Thuto Selomo, from Ga-Mohokoni Village, decided to use R5,800 from her NSFAS book allowance to launch a community initiative aimed at providing food and support to children who often go without proper meals.
While pursuing her LLB degree through the University of South Africa (UNISA), Selomo realised that there were many children in her community facing challenges similar to those she experienced growing up. Rather than using the money solely for her own needs, she chose to invest it in something she believed could make a lasting difference.
That decision eventually led to the establishment of the Thuto Selomo Organisation, a drop-in centre that currently provides one meal a day, from Monday to Friday, to approximately 60 children between the ages of one and 17.
The centre is more than just a place where children receive food. It also provides them with a safe environment where they can play, interact with others and receive assistance with their schoolwork.
The initiative was officially established in 2025 and has since grown with support from people who share Selomo’s vision. The organisation is registered with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) as well as the Department of Social Development.
In the beginning, Selomo relied heavily on her own income to keep the project running. Her husband later joined her efforts, while members of the public also began making contributions to help provide food and other necessities for the children.
For Selomo, the work is deeply personal. She understands what it means for a family to struggle to put food on the table because she experienced similar hardships during her childhood.
Those memories have remained with her and became one of the biggest reasons she wanted to make a difference in the lives of children facing difficult circumstances.
Although the organisation has already made an impact, Selomo has much bigger dreams for the future. She hopes to eventually establish a home where vulnerable children can receive not only food but also accommodation, care, education and a stable environment.
Her journey has also become an example of how young people can contribute to their communities, even when they do not have substantial financial resources.
Selomo’s story demonstrates that meaningful change does not always begin with large donations or wealthy sponsors. Sometimes, it starts with one person deciding to use what they have to help someone else.
Her message to other young people is simple: they should not wait until they have millions of rands before making a difference.
By choosing to share what she had, Selomo has helped provide meals, support and hope to dozens of children — while pursuing her own dream of becoming a lawyer.
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