Alfie, 9, donates his birthday money to poor family in South Africa

Alfie Hill thought nothing of donating money he recived as a birthday present to help mum Gogo and her five orphaned children.

Now, that money has helped to provide Gogo with a beautiful, new home, which they have just moved into.

David Thorpe, Alfie’s head teacher at Ranby House, said: “We are naturally very proud of his approach and actions to help Gogo’s family.

“Education is about developing the whole child, not only academically but also emotionally and socially, with an understanding of the world we all share.

“Alfie’s actions are the epitome of awareness and understanding the difficulties and challenges other people have in our wider world.”

Year-five pupil Alfie has always been a boy who wants to help others who are less fortunate than himself. His close friends and family are involved in a small charity that helps individual families in South Africa.

When they heard about Gogo sadly losing her husband and having to move the family out of their home and into an old shack that was a damp, dark and miserable hut made out of mud, they knew they had to do something.

Alfie, who lives in Newark, took the lead by donating his birthday money, and his family and friends followed.

The charity got on board and it wasn’t long before locals in South Africa were building the new home for Gogo and her children.

The house has water and electricity, and the charity also provided two fridges to enable Gogo to sell cold drinks and food to residents and travellers in the local village. This duly gives her an income so the family can support themselves.