Celebrating children’s day

Freemasonry Cares, shared smiles and cuddly toys with children at Clinix Botshelong-Empilweni Private Hospital in Vosloorus on Children's Day.

November 8, 2018

Aaron Damane 1 minute read

Simon Knutton, a Freemasons, gives away a teddy bear to baby Ntabeleng Ntabeni who was born on October 27 weighing 2.2kg. She is carried by her mom, Lebohang Ntabeni.

The government has declared the first Saturday of November as the National Children’s Day.

The aim of the National Children’s Day celebration is to highlight progress made towards the realisation and promotion of the rights of children.

The day is celebrated in the country to increase awareness of the rights the children ought to experience. This includes, among others, being taken care of and provided with education.

This year the National Children’s Day was celebrated on November 3.

Freemasons, under their theme “Freemasonry Cares”, visited Clinix Botshelong-Empilweni Private Hospital in Vosloorus to donate 30 teddy bears to hospitalised children.

Pregnant mothers at the hospital were also given teddy bears.

Simon Knutton (second from left) is seen carrying a teddy bear. He poses with hospital staff. On Knutton’s right is Sibongile Njokweni (of the paediatric unit), on his left wearing black top is the hospital spokesperson, Mendy Mbatha. On the far right is Sister Patricia Njokweni, paediatric unit manager.

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Assistant district grand master of Freemasons Simon Knutton said no child is supposed to be in the hospital on their special day.

“This is supposed to be their special day. It is not right to be sitting here at the hospital,” said Knutton.

He said each of the 209 lodges (branches) spread throughout the country will be allocated teddy bears to donate to hospitals or clinics of their choice.

“That is because we want to do something good and special for the underprivileged. This has been happening since 2006 where we donated more than R50-million to the underprivileged to show we care. The same thing that is happening here in Vosloorus today, is also happening in Benoni, Pretoria and Boksburg and even in Mauritius,” said Knutton.

He said his organisation heard about the hospital’s need from Sbongile Njokweni of the paediatric unit who contacted him through Facebook.

Hospital spokesperson Mendy Mbatha said: “We are happy to receive such gifts from the organisation.”