Nelson Mandela Week 2017
Community Engagement Unit
Several months prior Mandela Week the (Community Engagement Unit) CEUUWC made a call for donations of Care Packs in a Care Pack Drive for the Elderly. The CEU celebrated during the week of Mandela day on the 18th, 19th and 20th of July 2017.The Rector and Vice Chancellor Prof. Tyrone Pretorius and his office joined us in a in the preparation of the Care Packs for the Elderly at IkhayaLabantuCentre in Langa, Matroosfontein Cottages in Matroosfontein and Lily Haven Place Bonteheuwel.
The CEU collaborated with the Faculty of Dentistry, Centre for Performing Arts and Occupational Therapy Department and facilitated a programme of scheduled activities for each of the three homes. On the official Mandela Day Prof. Priscilla Daniels in her key note to the opening of the first centre said, “No one deserves to feel like they are not loved or cared for,” she told the Centre staff and inhabitants. “And we are here today to tell you that you are not forgotten. We love you and appreciate you, for the lives you have led and the lives you have touched - and particularly for the role you played in the liberation of our country as the senior generation.”
The 19th of July Ms.Henriette Weber served as the Programme Director at the Matroosfontein Cottages home and together with her team who participated through arts musical items on the programme. On the 20th of July 2017 Prof. Yusuf Osman, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry also one of our major contributors to the Care Pack Drive delivered the keynote speech at Lily Haven Place.
Prof. Osman acknowledged the CEU by saying; “It’s amazing that today we can honour people that spent a life time giving everything and not expecting anything in return, so for the University this partnership is important. Here I must compliment Prof. Daniels and her team from the community engagement unit. They don’t see Mandela Day or see anything as an occasion they use it, but they use it every day as an opportunity to engage with the community”. Throughout the Mandela Week the department of Occupational Therapy students facilitated the activities on the programme with the elderly.
The CEU received many different types’ of donations some of which allowed us to partner with external organisations. Mr InayatHamza from the School of Government donated 200 units of Spaghetti/Pasta which allowed the CEU to donate these to an organisation called RAM (Rescue Among Many) in exchange for Care Packs as RAM runs a soup kitchen.
The Community Engagement Unit would like to acknowledge the following contributors and partners who were involved in the Care Pack Drive, The Rectors office, Faculty of Dentistry, the Centre for Performing Arts, Occupational Therapy Department, Psychology department, School of Government, Library, UWC staff, students and stakeholders. The CEU looks forward to strengthening and growing the partnerships at UWC.