 To many women, being a mother is a complex and demanding part of life, but for Mavis Tyhala, 43, it is as natural as breathing. I heard about Mama Mavis (as I affectionately call her) through a colleague some time ago, and I was inspired by her story of selflessness and determination.
Mama Mavis was born in the Eastern Cape on a farm in Queenstown, where she lived with her mother, three brothers and two sisters. In 1982, at the age of 16, she moved to Johannesburg, where she worked in a samoosa factory and then in a restaurant as a cook. She soon married and in the following years gave birth to three healthy babies. Her troubles soon began when she suffered a miscarriage in 1990, and later that year her husband, Michael, left her. By this time Mama Mavis was living with her three children in Joubert Park, Hillbrow, and through her drive and motivation managed to open up a small business selling food, vegetables and sweets.
It was in this place that Mama Mavis found her true calling as a guiding light to street children and other homeless people. I asked her what motivated her to help these people, who are practically strangers. Her answer is simple: ‘I love children and people and I want to help them have a better life.’ While living in Hillbrow Mama Mavis adopted two homeless women who had left their families, Mirriam - who died in 2005 of HIV - and Julie, who disappeared in 1996. This is how Mama Mavis lives her life, as a mother and friend to many homeless people. She opens up her home and heart to help them, all the while knowing they may not stay forever.
After volunteering with charity organisations such as Streetwise and Twilight, Mama Mavis soon took up the call to start her own shelter for homeless children in 1999. With the help of another woman, who she refers to as Mother Johnson, she established the Khayelitsha Project for Kids. With over 80 children depending on her, Mama Mavis had soon had enough of asking the government for help and decided to take matters into her own hands. She recounts how she and Mother Johnson found an empty house, number 4 Constitution Hill, and how they convinced the security guard to allow them to move in during the dead of night. She laughs and says, ‘I told that guard, “No we are not going to Public Works, we are the public, we will move in, this house is for our children!”’
After many problems, including broken promises from the government and crime, the shelter was moved to another house in Esselyn Street. Finally, in 2008, the owner of their current house offered them a place to live free of charge in Florida, and the shelter was moved with the boys only while another organisation, Othweni, takes care of the girls in Hillbrow. Mama Mavis has also been fortunate to have King David School in Linksfield as a strong constant benefactor, and through their help has been able to help many other homeless people in Florida.
I can’t help but be inspired by this women who gives of herself so generously. Her day begins at 3:30am, waking the boys for school, making time to supervise cleaning duties and ensuring that the children are wearing clean clothes to school, and cooking breakfast, lunch and supper for all 46 of them! She also attends night classes for Adult Basic Education and Training at Florida Adult Centre, where she is in Level Three, learning to read and write in English.
Walking into the house I see broken floor boards waiting to be fixed and walls that need painting, but I feel the warmth of the family living there. Mama Mavis always greets me with a smile and the boys are always respectful and well-mannered. How she does it every day is beyond me. Her only wish is for the boys to be happy, and become good and respected people in the community.
Mama has this advice for others: ‘People must put love into their families and always look after the children and put them first. Give your child a second chance and support them.’
About the author: Laisha currently works within the social development space as a marketing manager, where she deals with public relations, communications and publishing. Laisha has a strong desire to help address the many social issues within South Africa.
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