Nyeleti Lighthouse ignites Madiba magic
The NPO runs other programmes including men to boy mentorship programmes to install morals to young boys as well as social work services in the area.
As part of the Nelson Mandela International Day on July 18, Nyeleti Lighthouse Non-profit Organisation distributed warm meals and clothing items in Meadowlands to vulnerable residents.
The NPO which has been running since December 2022 has been committed to feeding dozens of children in the area every week, reaching over 150 on their feeding Friday programme in a bid to curb issues of hunger and malnutrition.
For Mandela Day, about 250 kids were fed and dozens of local adults walked away with clothing items for themselves and their kids as well.
Neo Mangwana, MD of the NPO told Urban News, “We wanted to participate in the global celebration of Mandela by giving back to our community, which is one of our objectives.
“Our focus is actually the children because they are ones that are actually most vulnerable. But today being a special day we thought instead of just focusing on kids, how do we expand it to adults.”
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She said Mandela day was a reminder and a continuous effort towards humanity and thinking about other people.
“For us Nelson Mandela day means continuing being a good example to our community. Children don’t do as they are told but what they see, so it is within us to continue the values and legacy of Tata Madiba so they can learn from us.
“We say it shouldn’t just be once a year, we can’t just quote but it is from the doing that other people will see and they too are inspired and it becomes a cycle,” Mangwana continued.
Zakes Mada, Co-founder and chairperson added, “The call to do 67 minutes of community work is just to say that we can’t wait for government but in our little spaces, communities but there’s something that we can do. This is our response to that to say this is just our bit – to bettering the society we live in.”
The feeding programme is in line with the National School Nutrition Programme, which they said at times was the only meal the kids would have, adding that it often got harder when it is school holidays.
The programme currently plants seedlings at a local clinic and the produce goes to the elderly and chronic patients who are unemployed.
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The NPO runs other programmes including men to boy mentorship programmes to install morals to young boys as well as social work services in the area.
“Our objective is to be a bridge between our community and government and even the private sector. And bright that gap and be their voice by going to donors and organisations and say these are challenges our community is facing and can you come assist so we can assist them,” Mangwana added.
