With hardly a month before the annual Nelson Mandela Day commemorations start, staff from the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Corporate Relations and Marketing (CRM) department opened their hearts and wallets to assist vulnerable children in Mahikeng’s Lonely Park.
More than 100 children call the Omolemo Care and Support Centre home. Some of these children don’t have parents and are in desperate need of assistance to become eligible to receive social grants from government.
“Our former president Nelson Mandela loved children. We as CRM staff members saw it fit to assist these vulnerable young members of our society,” says Christopher Motabogi, communication manager on the campus in Mahikeng.
“We are grateful to the management of the Omolemo Care and Support Centre for the sterling work they do, despite an extremely challenging environment.”
Clement Manoko, CRM executive director, donated a water tank for the benefit of the children. Other CRM staff donated clothing and much-needed food items.
“Meanwhile, the NWU has approached the North-West Department of Home Affairs with a view to ensuring that the affected children are assisted with the necessary documentation to be able to access government social assistance,” concludes Christopher.
Reaching out elsewhere
CRM staff members from the NWU’s campuses in Potchefstroom and Vanderbijlpark organised similar outreach initiatives.
In Potchefstroom, everyone got up bright and early and braved the winter chill to clean up the Wasgoedspruit park in Potchefstroom, in collaboration with the Cachet Park City Improvement District.
The CRM team in Vanderbijlpark took time out to assist staff of the Kompas congregation's clothes bank. The clothes bank forms part of the congregation's Open Hand (Opehand) project and aims to provide community members - regardless of race, denomination or creed - with quality pre-loved clothing throughout the year.
Listen to Clement explain in the following sound clip why it was important to assist the Omolemo Care and Support Centre.
Clement Manoko talks to the children of the Omolemo Care and Support Centre
