Community comes together to assist others

DIEPSLOOT –Sanitary pads distributions to young girls and a community clean-up took place on the last weekend of February to keep the newly developed community of Riverside View safe and clean.

March 16, 2021

Khomotso Makgabutlane 1 minute read

More than 100 bags were filled by the community and collected by Pikitup. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Community members of Riverside View in Diepsloot came together to clean up their environment.

The day on 28 February comprised of a clean-up and sanitary pad distribution involving organisations and businesses such as Action for Responsible Management of Our Rivers, Sedumedi Hope Foundation and African Bank.

Ntando and Nompilo Ndlovu are happy to receive free sanitary pads. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

David Marokane, founder of Green Hope Foundation SA reached out to many organisations and businesses and planned the day’s events with the founder of the foundation and breast cancer survivor, Refilwe Sedumedi.

Bradley Sybesma collects rubbish from deep in the shrubs. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

“We, as a community, have realised that with Riverside View being a newly developed place, we need to be educated in keeping our place clean on a regular basis,” said Marokane.

The entire community and assisting organisations who helped with the clean-up in Riverside. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

“Pikitup is our service provider in regard to the environment and cleaning, but they were not coping on their own. We are the first to come and gather the community with the interest in keeping our community clean.”

Green Hope Foundation founder David Marokane and Sedumedi Hope Foundation founder Refilwe Sedumedi join forces to organise the day’s events in the community. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

More than 100 bags of litter were collected by members of the community comprising young and old. The bags were taken away by Pikitup. Later that afternoon, sanitary pads donated by various organisations were handed out to women in the shopping centre.

Marokane said they hoped the donations would help those who were unable to afford sanitary pads.

Tebogo Rapafa, centre manager of Riverside Square; Vivian Wandera, founder of Sedumedi Hope Foundation; Refilwe Sedumedi; and Green Hope Foundation founder David Marokane with some of the sanitary pads donated by various organisations. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

“Since February is the month of love, we as the Green Hope Foundation decided we should try to get as many sanitary pads as we can and distribute to our young girls in the flats and shacks around us,” Marokane explained.

Taetso Kanyane fills her rubbish bag with litter from an illegal dumping sight. Photo: Khomotso Makgabutlane

Centre manager, Vivian Wandera said the centre was also approached by Marokane to help with the sanitary pads and clean-up.

“As a centre, we got involved with advertising of the event and his [Marokane] NGO. For the clean-up, we also were able to supply people with cleaning materials such as refuse bags, gloves and cleaning materials,” Wandera told the Fourways Review.