KNYSNA NEWS - Every Oakhill School student, from the age of 3 to 18, was involved in giving back to those less fortunate in our broader Knysna community on Mandela Day, Thursday 18 July.
Nationally this year's Mandela Day theme was "It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequality''. This inspired Oakhill students and staff to engage and serve across multiple and varied projects, focusing mainly on feeding and nourishing in our community, at the same time supporting several organisations that give back to our community in an ongoing manner.
Oakhill honoured and commemorated Madiba with these citizenship initiatives, aiming to support the most vulnerable and serve our broader community.
They engaged and collaborated with Concordia High School, CX Animal Welfare, Dorothy Broster, Edge of Africa, Epilepsy, KAWS, Knysna Education Trust, Knysna Initiative for Learning and Teaching (KILT), Revive Knysna, Trinity School, Vermont Centre and Home for senior citizens, and several other charitable organisations, such as soup kitchens in our extended Knysna and Rheenendal community.
Grades 8 and 9 pupils engaging in learning activities at Trinity School.
Oakhill's youngest Oakhillians in the pre-prep, Little Oaks set aside 67 minutes for Madiba to cut, chop, grate and peel vegetables while also measuring dry ingredients, to produce tubs of freshly prepared soup donated to Edge of Africa soup kitchens.
This was a practical and meaningful experience as they actively engaged in service.
Nearly three hundred "Mugs of Meals'', filled with a single sachet or packet of a warm meal option, such as instant oats, instant noodles, cup-a-soup, hot chocolate, cocoa, and other items were donated by the Oakhill Prep students and families.
Connor McCarthy, left, and Nicholas-Parker Kalumba, and other Grade 3 pupils, were preparing to donate 'Mugs of Meals' to Vermont Old Age Home in Hornlee.
These mugs were being shared across various organisations this week, to residents in need including also those that serve and care at Vermont, Epilepsy, KET and the Knysna Provincial Hospital.
A total of 1 424 sandwiches were made by the Oakhill College students and donated to KILT who facilitated the distribution to: Dorothy Broster and five of their partner creches which fed over 350 children for lunch; to Knysna Education Trust who also assisted in distributing to four of their ECD centres.
A soup kitchen in Damsebos which feeds 84 children and a Khayalethu clinic which feeds the elderly and disabled for lunch were also recipients.
Raegan Murdoch, left, and Lolo Mbewu paint stones for Knysna Arts and Knysna Revive projects.
Mandela's values of dedication and to the service of humanity were acknowledged as students actively served in the community by giving of their time by supporting and cleaning at KAWS and gardening with Revive Knysna with support from Builders Express Knysna.
As part of their hands-on experiences and giving of their time, Oakhill College students participated in learning and sporting activities with children from Trinity School and Concordia, as well as donating several bags of fresh oranges and treats to help nourish the students.
Care Packs for Dorothy Broster residents were also collated including toiletries and treats to offer comfort and kindness and the students assisted with painting rooms too.
An awareness and the need to combat poverty and inequality has prompted Oakhill to extend Mandela Day's 67 minutes and acts of service to 67 days of nourishment and care, in a winter food drive with KILT that will benefit students in their After-School Study Programme.
Mandela Day reminds us that everyone has the ability to make a positive impact and do something in their own way to change the world and the world of those around them.
Citizenship is a core value and an integral part of Oakhill's philosophy as a community school with several continuous initiatives and relationships fostered throughout the year.
Oakhill Interact Club, as the College's youth arm of Knysna Rotary, celebrates its 30th anniversary this year with Interactors consistently striving towards their ethos of "service above self'' and longer term projects.
* "A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of." (Nelson Mandela).
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