Johannesburg, Jun 2 (PTI): The Gurudwara Sahib of Johannesburg (GSJ) has been lauded by South African and African continental leaders after its members donated a mini-bus to safely transport indigent local children to and from school.

“A vehicle may seem like a small donation, but for the children it represents access to opportunity and independence,” said GSJ trustee Harbinder Singh Sethi at the handover ceremony at the Gurudwara on Sunday.

“The GSG management and sangat purchased this mini-bus as a gift to the Look Forward Creativity Centre, which has been running this school for almost two decades now, with many of the children finding a better life there than where they had been living on the streets. It has been our privilege to support the activities at the Centre for the past 15 years now,” Sethi added.

“The true owners of this bus are these beautiful children. May Wahe Guruji protect every child who rides in this bus and bless it to carry them to brighter and safe futures,” Sethi said.

Some of the traditional leaders and Kings from across Africa who had gathered in Johannesburg to discuss the future of their nations took time out to attend the handover.

Zolani Mkiva, Secretary General of the Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa, said Sethi has been leading a team that represents true values of humanity that are always there to touch the lives of the people in a way that contributes to their betterment.

“We coexist as a diverse community of South Africans and every time I come here, I am so humbled not just with the gestures that you do but with the tangible contributions that you are making into the development of our country. This is an investment in the future of our country- the education of the children who are the future of our country,” Mkiva said.

Ketia Bikouta, board secretary for the Look Forward Creativity Centre, presented a special citation to GSJ chairperson Pamela Kaur Sethi.

“The (Sikh) community has been a longtime donor, one of our most consistent donors that give every single month. This is something that we cannot say thank you enough for,” Bikouta said. PTI SH MNK MNK

(This story is published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. No editing has been done in the headline or the body by ABP Live.)