He knows first-hand just what it means to be abandoned and alone.At the age of just four, he ran away from home and spent his childhood on the streets of Durban and in and out of children’s shelters. But he has turned his life around and now cares for vulnerable children through the National Association of Child Care Workers (NACCW). For eight years, he has dedicated his life to giving children a voice, creating places of safety and supporting them to focus on their schooling.
Gogo Hazel (Hazel Myezo) is lovingly referred to as ‘the heavenly daughter’ within her close-knit Alexandra community. Family is important to her. Despite having a child of her own, she adopted two others and has welcomed her brother’s wife and four children into her home in Alexandra.
Every day – and often long into the night – she passionately shares her craft skills with her extended family and unemployed women in the community, empowering them to make a living. Having utilised her sewing, beadwork, crocheting and knitting skills to earn a viable income, she is determined to pass them on.
Boitumelo (31) knows the value of a mother’s loving care. Despite the financial burden of three children, Boitumelo and Samuel, her husband of 13 years, lovingly welcomed her sister Kedinametse and her baby boy into their home in Windsor East, Johannesburg.
Kedinametse, who was unaware that she was pregnant, was diagnosed with TB shortly after her arrival and died a few weeks after giving birth. In honour of her sister, Boitumelo and Samuel without hesitation decided to foster the two babies and provide a loving family for them.
Michael, Gogo Hazel and Boitumelo all feature in Nivea’s new television commercial, which has been flighted nationally from December 5.
“For the first time in history, Nivea has created a television commercial, not featuring models, but real South African people. The commercial tells the story of three everyday heroes in South Africa, and celebrates their incredible acts of kindness and generosity. These people not only love, but also live by the true embodiment of ubuntu – the belief that together we are so much more,” explains Kerstin Bird, Marketing Director of Beiersdorf Southern Africa.
The rationale behind this special commercial was that it should capture the spirit of ubuntu. “The costs of making the commercial were, as far as possible, channelled back to further assist the heroes we featured. Instead of incurring substantial location and set costs, we filmed the commercial where our heroes live and work every day. Nivea also commissioned Duduza Serenades, a 35-strong children’s choir, who are mainly orphans from Ekhuruleni, to provide the background melody. The script was written by a Nivea employee, Nomfundo Mpati, and the assistant director and on-set PA were up-and-coming young professionals given an opportunity to get real experience on set,” she added.
The Nivea television commercial forms part of the skincare giant’s long-term global sustainability strategy “We Care”, which aims to strengthen families worldwide. It focuses on the all-important values of closeness, trust and responsibility.
“Skin care is our core business. For generations, we have contributed to our consumers’ well-being. As a part of their everyday lives, Nivea has become a trusted family and community member, and our care extends beyond just skincare,” says Kerstin Bird.
What is unique to South Africa is that the spirit of togetherness extends beyond what the rest of the world perceives as the nuclear family, both because this is the culture of its people and because tragic circumstances have often broken down the traditional family structure. In the African culture, the understanding of family revolves around ubuntu. Through working together to serve the wider community, people can become more. That’s why, in South Africa, the wider community is seen as family.
“Our country is filled with inspirational people who dedicate their lives to caring for others. We have chosen three local heroes to feature in the new Nivea television commercial. Through this, we are celebrating everyday people who create a sense of family where there isn’t a nuclear, traditional family. Many households are headed by elderly grandparents or even children, because of the tragedy of HIV/AIDS. Where these caregivers are absent, members of wider communities reach out to these children,” explains Bird.
Beiersdorf South Africa has invested just over R1 million in 2014 in the people and NGOs behind its TV commercial. Of this, just over R72 000 is going towards the Gogo Beanie Project via an order for 850 beanies. This will create work for over 600 gogos.
In addition, Boitumelo’s foster baby, who appears in the commercial, will receive a R90 000 educational fund from Nivea. Nivea will also invest R860 000 towards the National Association of Child Care Workers’ (NACCW) Isibindi SafePark programme, to make safe playtime accessible to more children, and enable care workers to engage with children through play in order to better understand where they need support in their lives.
Additionally in December, Nivea will distribute 85 000 ‘care packs’ filled with toiletries valued at R100 each to various NGOs around the country to care for the carer.
