BEREA resident, Sarah Sparks (16) is among those taking up the Mandela Day #itstartswithme Challenge, an initiative of NPO, Bhambayi Project.
The youngster has been volunteering with the organisation since 2019.
“I really wanted to make a difference in my community because I am in a privileged position. I think its essential that you give back to your community and give back to people who are less fortunate. I was looking for various opportunities to do this and I heard from my history teacher about the Bhambayi Project. Since then I’ve been involved and I have loved it. Usually we go on a Friday and teach. This year I have been allocated to teach Grade 9,” she said.
She currently teaches Mathematics to learners in the area on a weekly basis when Covid-restrictions allow.
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“Its really important because it’s one of the core subjects of your school career,” she said,
Mandy Pearson, Bhambayi Project founder, said the #itstartswithme challenge encourages participants to see peoples’ worth through Mandela’s lens.
“Founded in 2007, the Bhambayi Project is dedicated to transforming the lives of orphans and vulnerable children through relationships and empowerment. As an organisation, however, we believe that as important as what we do is how we do it. Our approach is not that of the powerful giving to the powerless- we are all equals giving to each other in different ways as we journey together. Our focus is on relationships and two-way giving, which brings dignity and empowerment, rather than dependency. It transforms all involved. We call this eye2eye giving. We believe this is the only way that true transformation will happen,” she said.
Remembering Mandela’s legacy is especially important in this time of political unrest, said Pearson.
“We find ourselves in a place in our nation with deep past wounds festering, current fears compounding and an explosive climate of corruption, anger and inequality. The answer is not in judgement. The answer is not in division. The answer is in choosing the opposite- choosing forgiveness, reconciliation and giving worth, as Mandela did. We cannot build the future of our nation by plastering over surface wounds- we need to dig deep and change the lens through which we see others. We need to see equal worth in every person. It starts with you and me. Join our #itstartswithme Challenge this Mandela Day and be part of impacting our country for good,” she said.
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The community can get involved without even leaving our homes. There are three parts to the challenge: Firstly, see the true worth in every person, secondly, spend 67 minutes on the Worth Reflection Exercise on the Bhambayi Project Website and thirdly, forward their Mandela Day video to 67 people to spread the message of seeing equal worth in others.
Commenting on the Worth Reflection Exercise, Pearson said: “It is great to commit to seeing the worth in others, but unless we challenge the thought patterns in our minds, nothing is likely to change beyond Mandela Day. We encourage everyone to reflect on seeing specific people that come to mind through Mandela’s lens of equal worth.”
For more information, log onto www.bhambayiproject.co.za or contact Mia Venter on admin@bhambayiproject.co.za.
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