3M celebrates Mandela Day at Sithabile Care Centre
3M dedicated 67 minutes of Mandela Day to Sithabile Child and Youth Care Centre on July 18.
The late Nelson Mandela once said: “There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.”
This is a sentiment with which 3M concurs, and which is why they celebrated Mandela Day by improving the lives of children who would otherwise go hungry every day, and would never have access to education.On Mandela Day, July 18, 3M, which is a patron of the Sithabile Child and Youth Care Centre, in Benoni, sent three teams to the centre: a painting team, a gardening team, and a lunch time team.
The 3M Company was formerly known as the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company.
Volunteers painted the exterior of the centre and the kitchen, while the gardening team spent the day planting vegetables and fruit trees.
At lunch time, the “braai team” ensured everyone enjoyed a hot meal in the middle of winter, with a side order of fun.
The centre was started in 1994 by Thabisile Msezane, a retired teacher, who was moved to create it after seeing a young child begging and digging for food in a pile of rubbish.
With no funds other than her own disability allowance, she took in about a dozen children.
Sithabile is now a home, rehabilitation and learning centre, and a place of refuge for some 50 hungry, sick, neglected and abused children from the farms, informal settlements and streets of eastern Gauteng.
In 2000, with support from 3M, the centre was able to relocate to bigger and better premises.
The company continues to give support by covering the cost of gas for the home (approximately R60 000 a year), as well as making other donations throughout the year.
3M employees help by giving their time and donating items such as clothing, blankets, food and monthly essentials.
“I feel great and I thank everyone for their loyal support and care,” said Msenzane.
