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Brothers For Life do it for their sisters on Mandela Day

Brothers for Life, the campaign to encourage men to positively influence each other and promote responsible lifestyles, put words into action on Mandela Day, 18 July, by helping those crying out for support: girls in crisis.

Brothers for Life Ambassadors, including Bafana Bafana star Teko Modise, Mafikizolo member Theo Kgosinkwe, and actor and TV presenter Siphiwe Hlabangane visited Tshwane Home of Hope on Sunday morning, joining hands with caring families and individuals to make the home a better place for its young residents. Modise’s teammate and fellow Ambassador Matthew Booth’s wife, Sonia, also participated in the activities.

Tshwane Home of Hope, situated in Mears Street, Sunnyside, was established in 2002 as a shelter for girls in crisis. It was founded as a joint initiative between the Tshwane Mayor and the National Department of Social Development, following a Special Assignment programme that highlighted the plight of girls living and working on the streets of Sunnyside.

On Sunday, Brothers for Life – in partnership with Mediology, Marcus Brewster Publicity, Solant Tours, Matchboxology, Sonke Gender Justice and Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa – donated furniture and other items to the home, help spruce up its trauma centre and also beautify its garden.

Booth – a former model who took the time to tell the girls about her own disadvantaged childhood – also donated R10 000 and books to the home on behalf of the Booth Education and Sports Trust, and Hlabangane donated groceries.

“Brothers for Life was delighted to be a part of the nationwide drive on Mandela Day to give back to our communities in some way,” says Brothers for Life project manager Mandla Ndlovu.

“Our focus until now has been largely on getting men to live more responsibly, particularly in relation to the women in their lives – but now some of our Ambassadors took things a step further and actually made a tangible difference to the welfare of some of the most vulnerable members of society. They showed that they are true Brothers for Life, and the example they set is nothing short of inspirational.”

In addition to the Brothers for Life activities, several women celebrities – including Morning Live TV presenter Leanne Manas, former Miss South Africa Claudia Henkel, 5FM DJ Anele Mdoda, actress Portia Gumede and Booth – donated framed portraits of themselves with messages to the girls, for hanging on a special Wall of Inspiration.

“Our girls have typically endured terrible abuse and deprivation, and they deserve nothing less than a home that is safe, welcoming and able to attend to their needs. That Brothers for Life, its partners and its celebrity ambassadors devoted their 67 minutes of giving on Mandela Day to Tshwane Home of Hope is a wonderful gesture, and we are very grateful for their support. We also thank the many individuals and families who also took time out of their lives to join us at this event,” says Tshwane Home of Hope executive member Tahiyya Hassim.

“I would also like to thank the women celebrities who have contributed to our Wall of Inspiration. Their examples, and their words of encouragement, will go a long way to inspiring our girls to transcend their circumstances and make successes of their lives.”

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