Loving giving back
By Kim Browne
It makes me smile to be reminded of the wonderful South African spirit around Mandela Day. The fact that many Safricans pitch in and want to contribute their 67 minutes or more is always refreshing, as winter takes its last gasp. I love giving back.
School kids are mobilised to knit scarves, jerseys and blankets for the needy and events are organised to raise much needed funds. We are united in a common goal, giving back in a way that makes sense to us. How awesome is that?
As Cat Stevens laments in his classic Wild World: “There’s a lot of bad and beware”. Of course one day will never fix all the wrongs in the world. It’s easy to get disheartened by all the negative things that seem to surround us, but what this special time highlights is that small tokens of giving back can make a huge difference.
This month we’ve had so much fun being involved in some incredible omgee (giving back) initiatives undertaken by our client Atterbury Trust. There was the opening of the Triomf Clinic in Pretoria West, specifically targeting the elderly and children. Here, doctors give of their time to provide health care to people who could otherwise not afford it.
We also spent a morning at play with the children attending a pre-school in Danville, Pretoria, for our 67 minutes.
What’s really heartening is that Atterbury Trust helps people all year round. For example, they have provided 41 additional new study bursaries to students this year and are currently supporting 149 commendable students with study bursaries. We are so proud to work on this business; it truly is a privilege and inspiration.
My personal take-out this month is to stop fixating on all the challenges we face every day and remain focused on the positives, which are always there, even if you’ve got to look carefully to find them. We have so much to be grateful for. Our agency is growing, we’re busy, we’re inspired by the work we do and the many super-talented people we have the privilege of working with. We also have incredible clients, who trust us implicitly with their brands. We are blessed and strive to pay it forward wherever we can. That’s a promise.
This weekend I’ll be demonstrating my Safrican spirit by participating in the 702 Walk the Talk; 20kms for 20 years of democracy. Yes it’s cold, far to walk and the traffic is hectic. I could go on and list a pile of negatives if I were so inclined. But all those things pale into insignificance when you experience the pure joy and spirit encapsulated in the people taking part.
It’s a magical experience! We’ll be owning the streets and celebrating our freedom together. Viva South Africa, viva!
