Love is a universal language at Forest Farm

The residents of Forest Farm home for adults with cerebral palsy or special needs in Sandton hosted a special Valentine’s Day event for their residents.

Residents and staff at Forest Farm enjoyed a dance along to live music performed by Twisted, a live music duo comprised of musicians Kyle Raziel and Jaco Dennis; as well as a braai.

Forest Farm is an non-profit organisation (NPO) with love at the core for all 66 residents, Forest Farm’s social and residential care manager Bulelwa Mahura expressed.

“I think we say it, ‘love is a universal language;’ here, we see it. We see it on a day-to-day basis, but also when we have events like this,” Mahura said. “We have this event every year. We have several social events as well throughout the year, because we recognise our residents as full human beings, like any other human being.”

Mahura said that the center cares a lot for fostering an environment of inclusivity for residents, investing in their emotional and social wellbeing as well.

“The social wellbeing is also linked to the mental and emotional wellbeing; when they can interact, and dance, and have fun like anyone else,” said Mahura. “We see them holistically, that means including their social wellbeing. Our residents also experience themselves as full human beings.”

Mahura emphasised that as important as money is to the running of the center, Forest Farm has other needs from the Sandton community.

“We’re not only looking for money, even though money is important and would enable us to do so many things; but we invite people to come and volunteer, and spend time with our residents,” Mahura said. “Get to know our residents. When you’ve built a relationship, and you’ve seen this place, and see the needs, then I feel it will naturally come from the heart to want to help, and to give more.”

Mahura thanked the Sandton community for their support of the Forest Farm center, and further invited community members to volunteer if they have the time.

“We really appreciate it when people come in, and they make our residents feel like part of the community, and that we’re not just on the outskirts of the community,” Mahura concluded with an anecdote from the event. “There is one [resident] who uses his feet to control his wheelchair. He takes the ladies one by one to go on the dancefloor with him; he spins them around the floor so that they can also get a turn to feel what it’s like to dance with someone else, you know?”

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