Good Morning Angels Festive: Helping a student who takes care of her family

BACKGROUND: Carmi du Toit is a slimly built 21-year old, who just finished her LLB final year at Tuks. She’s been living in the TuksVillage Res on campus for the past four years and soon has to move out. But, Carmi has nowhere to move to and nothing of her own to set up a place of her own. At the tender age of 21, she is the provider of her family. Her mother is bi-polar, her 18-year old brother left school in Grade 11 due to an unstable life and their father is an addict. Carmi is giving up an opportunity to do her articles next year, required before she can practice law, in order for her to earn a bigger salary to set up a home for herself, her brother and possibly her mother. The house mother of the TuksVillage Res, wrote to Good  Morning Angels to assist this selfless, dynamic and hardworking young lady to establish her independence, but also to give her financial peace of mind to finish her articles and start earning the living she has studied for.

REQUEST FOR: Carmi du Toit

REQUEST FROM: Robyn Ball

ANGEL: Bonnie Cooper on behalf of our fabulous festive sponsors, Romans’ Pizza

SPONSORING: Romans’ Pizza will donate R35 000,00 towards Carmi for whatever is needed to start her independent life and finish her articles to become a lawyer.

ORIGINAL REQUEST: Dear Angels,

We are the Heads of Residence (House Parents) of TuksVillage, a Residence at the University of Pretoria. We have 640 students under our care and come across many tragic and inspiring stories. However this most recent story has me trying anything and everything to help this student out.

The short version of Carmi’s story:

Carmi is a final year LLB Law student. She has maintained great marks through her degree. She is on the brink of gaining a not just a degree, but hope for a future! Her father is absent, an addict of Meth. After the grans death a few years ago, her mother’s bi-polar spiralled our of control. The mom lost everything. Job. House. Car. Income. They moved around. The younger brother had to drop out of school in grade 11.  

While Carmi was safe at TuksVillage, her home, her mom and brother ended up on the streets.

Carmi has worked part time throughout her 4yr degree to support herself and her family (she thank fully has a government bursary for study fees). During her final year exams, her mom and brother arrived at residence with no where to go (except to continue life on the streets). During the stressful time of exams, Carmi tried everything to help them. She eventually got her mother in a shelter for the homeless but had no luck for her brother.

She eventually took him in, hiding him in our residence.

As house parents, we suspected something was up and addressed it with her.

She broke down telling us of the load she has carried and how she has no options left. We were able to help get him into a shelter the same day with the help of a local church.

She was so relieved that she could again focus on her studies.

Here’s the incredible part:

As a final LLB student, she was offered a job for next year doing her articles. She chose to turn it down as she needs to care for her brother next year and focus on getting him grounded. Through her part time job at a call centre, she will be continuing full time with them as she will earn a bit more, and that is what she needs to take care of her brother.

What a sacrifice!!!!!!! A sacrifice that a graduating law student should never have to make.

How angels could help? She is currently looking for accommodation as she has to move out of Res after her exams, end of the month.

Most importantly, she’ll need the basics to be able to live - beds, fridge, a crouch, cutlery, cooking items, etc. While she’ll cope with monthly rent (just), If she could move into a place that is equipped and furnished for her and her brother, it would make it bearable for her. 

Second to that, any help to get her brother to complete school so that he has a chance in life himself, would be a miracle for this family. Carmi has taken on way more than any young person should. She has worked so hard to make something of herself and to do what she can for her family. She deserves a break. She deserves some help.

Please would you consider giving this graduating, amazing law student a helping hand!

Appreciated and holding thumbs!!

Robyn Ball