In the spirit of Mandela Day, staff members from KWV spent 67 minutes volunteering at Athlone House of Strength (AHOS), a home for abused women and children in Paarl.
The group of close to 40 employees painted, cooked, baked, washed cars, gardened and dug a sand pit for kids to play in.
Among the volunteers was Ahnel Wright, Human Resource Executive at KWV, who spoke about Nelson Mandela’s legacy and how it should inspire us all to do what we can, with what we have to bring about change in our communities.
“As KWV, we wanted, in a big way, to celebrate the legacy of Nelson Mandela by making this place a little more special for the women and children who come here. We recognise the incredible work that AHOS does in the community, supporting every woman and child who needs help, regardless of their race or background,” Ahnel said.
AHOS, which is the only home of its kind in the whole Drakenstein, offers a home for abused women and children andempowers the women through therapeutic intervention and skills development to be more self-sufficient. They also run an Early Childhood Development Centre on the premises, which accommodates young children.
“It means a lot to see people taking time out of their day to help us in such a massive way. As a nonprofit organisation we do require assistance and it is always a relief when we get it. We live by the spirit of Mandela everyday and we will continue to serve the community with dignity and love,” said Caureen Pietersen, General Manager at AHOS.
Mandela day is celebrated on 18 July every year and each year each person gets an opportunity to follow the powerful example he set and become change-makers ourselves.
“No matter how big or small your actions, we all have the power to bring about real social change. On Mandela Day, I’d like to encourage and invite more collaboration and involvement in our communities to create a sustainable impact that drives growth,” said Ivan Swartz, Valcare’s CEO.
KWV is a passionate contributor to socio-economic development, and in 2020 they partnered with Valcare to broaden their reach. This Mandela Day initiative is just one of the many fruits of this partnership.
