Book of African tales benefits Starship
Growing up with a pet monkey and surrounded by wild animals is not your usual childhood. But for one South African expat, this is reality.
A South African immigrant has written a book to benefit children in Starship’s oncology ward.
Now living in New Zealand, Cherryl Burger has written her own book so that she can share her tales of Africa with others. And $3 from every book sold will be donated to the Starship Foundation.
‘An African Scrapbook – Elephant, buffalo and baboon taxis’ is Ms Burger’s true stories of life growing up in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, with personal photographs and fun facts and figures about the park and its animals.
“Seeing as children and adults are fascinated by my stories I decided that I was going to put it in book form to share with children out there.
“It’s for the young and young at heart,” says Ms Burger of St Heliers.
Ms Burger and her family lived in the national park’s staff village while her mother and father worked there as a shopkeeper and camp superintendent.
At the age of six, she was the first student to enrol at the village school in Skukuza, the main camp at Kruger National Park.
“My childhood years there were just anything anybody could dream of,” says Ms Burger, 59.
Ms Burger has decided to help the Starship Foundation after working with children affected by cancer in her job as a nuclear medicine technologist.
“I work with the children and it’s specifically for whatever they may need for the kids.”
The Starship Foundation is delighted to have Ms Burger’s support.
“It is a stunning book and we wish her every success. As a Starship staff member, Cherryl has requested all donations go towards the Starship Oncology Ward,” says Sarah Woodhams, of Starship Foundation’s Donor Partnerships Team.
The author has a message to all of the children who may read her book.
“May each page fill you with delight. I hope your childhood years are magical too.”
See www.anafricanscrapbook.com to purchase ‘An African Scrapbook – Elephant, buffalo and baboon taxis’. Or contact Cherryl at cherrjess@xtra.co.nz or 021 206 0202. Cost is $30, with $3 going to Starship Foundation.
