Mary Lwate
I did do that where are u seeing what u seeing
| Mary Lwate | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 12, 1939 South Africa |
| 🏳️ Nationality | South African |
| 💼 Occupation | Humanitarian |
| Known for | Founder of Good Hope Community Organisation (Lotus Home) |
| 🏅 Awards | Shoprite/SABC3 Woman of the Year finalist (2005) Clover Mama Afrika Performer Extraordinaire (2017) Agri-Business Woman of the Year (2010) Sowetan/Old Mutual Community Builder (Senior) Award |
Mary Lwate (born 12 March 1939), affectionately known as Mama Mary, is a South African humanitarian and social worker. She is the founder of the Good Hope Community Organisation, commonly referred to as the Lotus Home, based in Winterveld, Gauteng. Since the 1970s she has sheltered, fed and educated orphaned and abandoned children in the Mabopane–Winterveld area, expanding her work into vocational training, early childhood development and community feeding schemes.[1][2]
Early life
Mary Lwate was born in South Africa on 12 March 1939. She speaks Tswana and is described as having a strong Christian faith. Details of her childhood and education are not widely documented in published sources.[2]
Career
In the mid-1970s, Lwate began caring for abandoned children in the Mabopane and Winterveld area. By 1978 she was running what locals called the Lotus Home (Legae la Bana), which later became registered as the Good Hope Community Organisation.[3]
The home grew from an initial 18 children to housing over 150 at its peak.[2] By 2019 reports noted that it had sheltered over 130 children since its founding and was then home to about 47 children.[4]
Beyond providing accommodation, the organisation runs:
- An early childhood crèche
- A drop-in centre offering meals to destitute community members
- A bakery and food garden to supply food and generate income
- Training in sewing, beadwork, knitting and baking for children and youth[2]
Lwate has travelled internationally to raise awareness. In 2005 she visited the United States, where support helped establish the Mabopane Foundation, a U.S.-based charity that channels funds to Winterveld.[1] International partners such as the Buddhist Tzu-Chi Foundation contributed towards a R12 million orphanage building, and in 2009 she visited North Carolina schools that had raised donations for her home.[5]
Awards and recognition
Lwate has received numerous awards, including:
- Finalist, Shoprite/SABC3 Woman of the Year Awards (2005)[2]
- Clover Mama Afrika Performer Extraordinaire (2017) and Entrepreneur of the Year (2021)[2]
- Third runner-up, Clover/Bernina sewing competition (2018, 2019)[2]
- Sowetan/Old Mutual Community Builder (Senior) Award[2]
- Agri-Business Woman of the Year (2010)[2]
- Additional civic honours such as the Seth Mokitimi Award for service and an Arts and Culture Silver Award[2]
Legacy
Local leaders, including former mayor Shadrack Dhlamini, have praised her as a "dedicated community builder" ensuring that "no child goes to bed on an empty stomach".[1] Media reports in 2019 highlighted her continuing service after more than 40 years of running the organisation.[4]
Her legacy is reflected in the hundreds of children raised in her care, the vocational skills imparted, and the model of community-based empowerment combining shelter with income-generating activities.
See also
- Child welfare in South Africa
- Winterveld
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Dreams of new home blossom", SowetanLIVE, 12 June 2007.[1]
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 Clover.SuperUser. "Mama Mary L". Clover Mama Afrika. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ↑ "Community Involvement". Tsogo Alumni Society. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Whatsapp; Print; Pdf; X; Linked-in; Facebook; options, More sharing. "Contributing 67 minutes to Good Hope Community Organisation - Enterprises University of Pretoria". Bizcommunity. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ↑ "Person of the Week: Paula Heidrick | ABC11 Raleigh-Durham | abc11.com". ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
External links
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