Greening Tintswalo this Mandela Day
The month of July in South Africa, and now the world over, is Mandela Month. We are all encouraged to use 67 minutes of our day to help others, in memory of Mandela spending 67 years in prison, and commemorating his birth month. The allied section of Tintswalo Hospital made goody bags with beanies, toys, and clothes for newborn babies on the 18th July. Tshemba contributed a bag full of beanies of all sizes, from newborn, to this effort. Some of the beanies and booties were too small, so they were repurposed to fit the teddies.
The rest of the hospital and the Tshemba Team contributed 67 minutes of gardening and beautifying the entrance to the hospital on the 31st of July 2024. This true community effort pulled together hospital and Tshemba staff, our volunteers, and learners from the local college assisted by the experienced ground staff of Tintswalo. A great start was made, and we hope that the red succulents will soon make a grand show. The plan is to make all the hospital gardens into water wise, joyful, and beautiful displays to gladden the hearts of patients, staff, and visitors to the hospital. It is scientifically proven that a beautiful environment promotes healing.
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What’s more, the hospital groundsmen are getting into this idea. I get requests for succulents from them.We continue to grow in our partnership with them, it is great to see that they are taking ownership and making decisions about what to plant where, showing their own knowledge of gardening. They are so keen, that when I asked them to put two bags of compost we were meant to use for the entrance wall into a secret atrium garden in the administration block – they decided to rather use that compost in the atrium garden itself and when we arrived for our 67 mins –the compost had already all been dug in.
Let us all be inspired to continue this spirit of service, not just in July, but throughout the year, making our communities brighter and more beautiful, one small act at a time.
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By Rhian Twine
Chief Clinical Officer
The Tshemba Foundation