A unique event brought together art and philanthropy and launched on Freedom Day.
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in partnership with Killarney Mall hosted the Art Is Freedom Expo from 27 April to 3 May. Over 300 awe-inspiring art pieces were on display at the event with the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra rendering soothing performances.
The Rosebank Killarney Gazette, under the Caxton Cares banner, partnered with Killarney Mall in support of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.
CEO of Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, Konehali Gugushe said we remember icons like Nelson Mandela who made a day like Freedom Day possible and because he was so passionate about the rights of children. “During his presidency, he made sure that he set up the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (NMCF) – sacrificing a third of his salary through his entire presidency to set up the fund,” Gugushe said.
“Today the NMCF has been able to establish the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital (NMCH) which is a beautiful and effective pediatric hospital.”
She said they understood that access to healthcare or specialist healthcare can be expensive and inaccessible to the ordinary person.
“The promise that we make at the NMCH is that no child will be turned away because of their financial situation. So, it is dependent on the partnerships that we have, the goodwill of people that give to us and the great doctors that we have. I really hope that today all of us will heed the call to give like they’re yours. With any donation that you make, it will make sure that some children will have access to lifesaving treatment they require.”
Head of fundraising and sponsorship at Shared Value Africa Initiative, Vuyo Lutseke shared the background to their fundraising efforts. Between 2011 and 2015 NMCH wanted to raise R1 billion. In 2013 a group of South African graphic designers – the Mandela Poster Project Collective – did a global call to action which resulted in more than 500 posters submitted by graphic designers from throughout the world.
From that collection of 500, 95 were chosen and were the ones currently at the exhibition. “They managed to raise R1 million (and one cent) from an organisation that bought the entire collection. So this R1 million went towards the R1 billion target fundraiser. This shows you don’t necessarily have to have a lot of money to serve like Madiba, but you can look at your skills or community and help share the word on how to contribute towards this,” she said.
Singer and NMCH influencer Nandi Madida, who experienced the NMCH first hand when a friend’s child was in an accident, said the hospital played a vital part during the child’s three-month stay.
She said, “As a mother of two, I know that any child, no matter what background they come from, needs world-class care in general.”
The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital’s Dr. Nonkululeko Boikhutso thanked everyone involved in making the event possible.
Related articles:
Support children the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital this Mandela Month
