Help your community’s young champions for Mandela Day
NORTHCLIFF – NPO Growing Champions is asking the community to dig deep and help impact the lives of children who deserve a safe space during Covid-19.
Want to assist someone less fortunate than you this Mandela Day all while ensuring your health is not at risk? Why not purchase a Madiba hoodie from NPO Growing Champions which will help not only keep your body warm but your spirit too.
Sales of these hoodies allow the group to make tracksuits that they can then be given to ‘growing champions’. These aid in keeping them warm through the cold days and will have a badge sewn onto them to remind them they are part of family and although there is little contact, wearing this tracksuit will instil in them a sense of belonging.
For this organisation a champion is someone who overcomes any opponent they face, be it Covid-19 or the challenges that come from everyday life. The group looks after about 80 children who live in various parts of the city. Sam Toweel-Moore, founder of Growing Champions said these children have been in lockdown in very difficult environments, many of which are abusive. “Some sleep on floors and lack warm clothes for the winter time as their parents have not been able to work and, as a result, they are feeling isolated, alone and abandoned because the organisation provides a family.”
He added that Growing Champions does activities that gives academic support, have kids participate in sports and personal development programmes as well as outreach initiatives that best serve the community. Through this, these young champions are always kept busy and are constantly growing towards the values of leadership, gratitude, service and building excellence through learning how to work with others and unite. “Over this time [lockdown] it has been awful for everybody as they have felt alone and many of their schools are not open. There are just so many needs for these children but the greatest need is for them to know they belong and to have the warmth that feeling gives them,” said Sam.
Knowing that our countrymen are determined to live up to the leadership of Madiba, the organisation started the Mandela Day Hoodie campaign. This campaign is a call to the community to help others in a way that promoted their own safety through purchasing a hoodie that had encouraging words strewn all over it. “These words echo the traits these children have as they have the power to change the cycle and release themselves from the shackles of poverty, addiction, criminality, violence and abuse to become change leaders in our communities,” shared Sam.To purchase a hoodie, contact Growing Champions on 082 654 5733.
