Volunteers spread Mandela Day warmth at local clinic
The event was one of several Mandela Day initiatives aimed at spreading warmth, kindness, and hope, one handmade stitch at a time.
Patients and residents visiting the Weltevreden Park Community Clinic were met with an unexpected act of kindness on Friday, July 17, as colourful hand-knitted scarves and beanies lined the clinic’s perimeter fence, free for anyone who needed them.
Many people eagerly stopped to choose a scarf or beanie, smiling as they wrapped themselves in the handmade gifts. Volunteers watched as residents expressed their gratitude, with many thanking those behind the initiative for bringing warmth during the winter season.
The initiative formed part of the annual Secret Scarves Shhh campaign by 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, which sees handcrafted scarves hung in public spaces across South Africa for anyone in need.
Volunteer Rob Herring said the organisation, founded by Carolyn Steyn 12 years ago, provides blankets to vulnerable communities throughout the year, while the Secret Scarves campaign is a special Mandela Day initiative.
“Once a year, for Nelson Mandela Day, we hang scarves on trees and fences all over South Africa for somebody who needs a scarf to keep warm,” he said.
Unlike the blankets distributed throughout the year, the scarves are deliberately left in public spaces so recipients can simply take one without having to ask.
Rob said the scarves represent more than protection against the cold.
“They bring a lot of joy. Not only does it keep somebody warm, but it looks nice, and somebody made it for them. We always say that we made it with love,” he said.
He added that volunteers from all walks of life knit throughout the year, largely at their own expense, because they want to make a difference. “That’s why we do it. We’re making somebody warm, making someone happy and letting them know that other people do think about them,” he said.
For Sydney Moatshe, receiving the gift meant far more than simply keeping warm.
“I love my scarf so much. I’m all by myself and receiving such a gift has just brought warmth to my heart,” he said after choosing a scarf and beanie.
As the morning was about to draw to an end, the volunteers took the rest of the remaining scarves and beanies and gave them to the rest of the residents who were inside the clinic’s waiting area.
