Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2003. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times (Johannesburg) - August 31, 2003
Karen Van Rooyen
Lola Carena Murray, 12, came to South Africa to hand over a $3 000 (R22 000) donation to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.
Lola was born in Joburg, but moved to the US with her parents when she was six months old.
However, a visit to Namibia last year inspired the Grade 6 pupil to collect money for her birth country.
"We stayed with friends of my parents and they worked with HIV/Aids. That gave me the idea to focus on South Africa," she said.
"I knew the epidemic was much bigger here than other places and the ability to get medicines was harder."
Lola went back to Olivebridge, a rural town two hours north of New York, and started her project as part of a school community assignment.
Her plan involved selling raffle tickets for goods bought on Joburg's William Nicol Drive and the top prize of a mosaic fountain given to Lola by a well-known local artist.
Soon, their mailbox (in Olivebridge) was overflowing with donations from all over the town.
"People were sending money like crazy, I guess because she's young and they trust her," said Lola's mom, Gina Carena.
"Some would send $4 and others would send 100. Some even gave money without wanting raffle tickets."
Proud dad, Craig Murray said: "We'd walk out to the mailbox and letters were just arriving. It went on for about two or three months and Lola replied to every single letter."
And then it was time for Lola to hand over the money.
Exciting
"We went to the office of the fund and I gave them the money and they said I could come back the next day and meet Mr Mandela," she said.
"It was fun and exciting. He said thank you and he asked where I was from. He asked me to come work at the office. . . I could work in the office, but my first choice would be to be a dermatologist."
Leona Sequeira, the fund's financial manager said she had personally received the cheque from Lola.
"We do get a lot of donations from America, but when a child donates, that means so much more, especially since she brought it here," she said.
Back in Olivebridge, Lola is already planning some more fundraising.
"I don't think I'd keep it in the States, but maybe a different country."
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