Vhathu Phanda Community Forum in partnership with Spar Selby celebrated world mental health day under the theme “mental health is a universal human right’.
The event was held at Kutumela Molifi Primary school in Donkerhoek, Tshwane on 11 October. They celebrated the day by showering pupils with gifts. They donated 80 school shoes, tissues, fruits, vegetables and maize meal.
There were fun activities for pupils such as music, drama, hula-hoops and egg spoon-race competitions.
There were different stakeholders from Silverton Youth Dialogue, CPF Silverton Youth crime prevention desk, community safety members of GBV brigade, ex-offenders, SAPS, Spar and officials from the Mamelodi Regional Hospital.
Chairman of Vhathu Phanda Community Forum Thabo Mashabela told Tshwane Talks that they decided to make it a campaign and visits schools and teach pupils about mental health. “Many people are suffering from mental illness, and they are not aware of it. Mental illness comes in different ways.
World Mental Health Day is also a day to let people know that it’s okay to ask for
help, no matter what you’re going through”.
“We’re dedicated to addressing the inequalities in mental health and working towards good mental health for all,” Mashabela said.
He said this month they have programs at schools to address mental health issues. Mental illness is also cause by stress, family problems, work problems, social problem and others.
“We want to thank Spar for partnering with us making this day possible and also thank the
stakeholders, school management and pupils,” he said.
Store manager of Kwik Spar Sables Hills Charlse Sindane said they came to do charity donations at the school.
“We always do so much charity in our area and we decided to do something nice for a township school.
We are planning to come back again in January next year to help those kids who really need school shoes because butter shoes campaign is starting in November and we want to raise more shoes for the kids,” Sindane said.
Community Safety GBV brigade Portia Matlenyane talked to pupils about gender-based violence.
She explained the process of reporting rape and also advised learners not to bully each other because that is also what leads to mental illness.
Shadiko Matjila from Silverton Youth Crime and prevention desk (SYCPD) said pupils must stop bullying and harassing other kids.
They must respect each other and their teachers Irvin Modiba, ex offender, said he started doing crime at the age of 14 years because he was lacking the things that other kids had.
“It is mental illness to desire things that your parents cannot afford. Kids must concentrate on school books,” he said.
Tebogo Masite from Mamelodi Regional Hospital said mental illness is common and serious problem that affects people of all ages, gender and cultures.
Mental illness can take many forms ranging from mild and temporary to severe. If left untreated, it can have a devastating impact on a person’s quality of life, their relationships, and their ability to function at work, school or in the community,” Tebogo said.
Principal of Kutumela Molifi Primary School Alfred Moemise said this is a very happy and blessed day and we are happy to have the donations as many kids are coming from disadvantages homes and some are child headed home and these donations will go a long way.