Artist Rizah Potgieter has been hard at work creating Mitchell’s Plain’s Longest Mural—an ode to community pride and marine life awareness.

Mitchell’s Plain, South Africa (06 March 2024) — Artists, volunteers and community members have all played their part in helping make Mitchell’s Plain’s longest mural possible.

A legacy in blue, the ‘longest mural’ (also known as the Poseidon Mural) seeks to bring a sense of beauty, calmness and awareness to Mitchell’s Plain. In an big way, its breathtaking size makes the topic of climate change and its impact on our oceans hard to ignore with sea characters on vibrant display. In even bigger ways, it stands to show people the beauty that their area can call home; cultivating a sense of community pride and responsibility.

Led by mural wizard Rizah Potgieter who was also behind another iconic mural last year (“Standing Tall”, a 22-metre high mural in Khayelitsha that captured netball player Phumza Maweni), the Posideon project was a collaborative effort that saw many people unite for its creation.

 

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PAINT, an artivist organisation on a mission to transform neighbourhoods and non-profit ArtBridge teamed up to ensure that Mitchell’s Plain’s Longest Mural would become something for Cape Town to be proud of. For the team, this wasn’t singularly about marine life awareness or art’s positive impact on communities, but both in unison.

Says Mikal Ernest Bell, Founder of PAINT, “The initial objective was bringing the two communities together, this will therefore be the culmination. The artwork on either side of the wall has greatly contributed in bringing about peace in these two communities that has been ravaged by crime and gang violence.”

The more we make the hard topics accessible and the more we let art bring people together, the better chance we have for a South Africa that understands that no matter where you come from or what challenges you’ve faced, you can still make an impact on our future.

Sources: Various (Linked Above) 

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Judo students from Inspire Children and Youth are not just rural farm children facing poverty. Some are national colours holders, Commonwealth champions and Olympians in the making! Most importantly, they being guided out of challenging circumstances, one move and act of kindness at a time:

Western Cape, South Africa (09 October 2023) — Breaking the cycle of tough circumstances sometimes starts with sparking a passion, and for students part of NPO Inspire Children and Youth’s programme, that light is judo.

Their JUDO Programme is about far more than competitions — though students have fared impressively on competitive floors— with an overarching goal to improve life skills like discipline and commitment. If other martial arts masters have shown us anything, these skills create mindsets that can pave the paths to hugely successful journies.

“JUDO is our secret weapon to help keep rural farm children and teenagers in school for as long as possible, improves their marks with an average of 20% – 30%, reduces teenage pregnancies which were from as young as 11 and 12 years and it prevents children from as young as 6 years old from actively participating in criminal activities,” shares Inspire Children and Youth.

These are the moves that break poverty cycles, along with feelings of accomplishment, the opportunity to shine and the sense of importance that comes about when enough people come together to see your dream through.

In recent times, Inspire Children and Youth (ICAY) has celebrated not only the existence of their programme (which is an achievement all its own) but its blossoming, and all those who have made the most rewarding moments possible.

For starters, they have added 6 more South African JUDO Schools Champions to their record books, which means a total of 10 SA JUDO Champions for 2023. This number is double compared to 2022!

Not to mention, they have produced South Africa’s first Commonwealth JUDO Champion and 2 students who now have the pride of holding national colours—possibilities that would’ve seemed so far out of reach for many rural farm children and communities if it weren’t for the programme and those who make it possible.

And those who make it possible are a force of good to be reckoned with—the unsung hands of kindness who have fundraised and sold handmade goods and even embarked on marathons to make sure the children can participate in what they’ve worked so hard for.

Martha Goodridge for one, was so inspired by the organisation after a summer trip to South Africa on a hockey tour that she emarked on a big random act of kindness—running the Henley Half Marathon in aid of ICAY. She has raised £1,022 (over R24 000) which she hopes will help build other facilities for the organisation and of course, contribute to Judo equipment.

“For the children Judo is more than a sport it is something which the children can hold onto when other things seem to be against them.”—Martha Goodridge.

Beyond judo, ICAY is building community futures through food gardens like Auntie Judith’s Food Garden, afterschool support programmes for the farm youth and a healthcare project amongst others.

Sources: Inspire Children and Youth; GivenGain

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Have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Louis Massyn and Tony Abrahamson are a handful of Two Oceans Marathons away from 50 completed voyages!

Cape Town, South Africa (21 April, 2023)— Louis Massyn and Tony Abrahamson laced up their takkies again recently, racing one marathon closer to 50 completed Two Oceans Marathons for the men in their 70s.

To date, Massyn has completed a record 46 Two Oceans Marathons (the first person ever to do so), with Abrahamson hot on his heels at 45. Aptly, the pair are dubbed the godfathers of the race, with decades of medals celebrating their achievements year after year.

“Success is a journey, not a destination – I still have four Ultra Marathons to go in order to complete my intended 50 TOM Ultra Marathon voyages. There were some hair-raising moments, but I dug deep to keep pushing until the thrill of the finish line was in sight.”— Louis Massyn.

Massyn, from the Free State, has been a passionate runner of the Marathon since 1976, as well as the Comrades Marathon which he ran for the first time in 1973 at 22 years old. To date, he’s tackled the Comrades just under 50 times.

Explaining what brings him back time after time, Massyn shared: 

“I enjoy coming to Cape Town and have a lot of good memories running the Ultra; the chance to make new, incredible memories is what keeps me coming back.”

As for Abrahamson, this powerhouse laced up his running shoes for his first Two Oceans Marathon back in 1971 while studying at the University of Cape Town. Since 1980, he’s run every Two Oceans Marathon consistently.

If you ever needed a reason to be consistent in your dreams no matter your age, these two legends are an incredible source of inspiration, and we couldn’t be more impressed by their commitment to journey over destination.

Meanwhile, another pair of champions also had crowds rooting fiercely during the Half Marathon, wearing outfits few would dare to race in.

Source: Various(Linked Above)

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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Dearest reader, South Africa did it again. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story ventured to Stellenbosch for a fabulous premiere and South Africans served up looks fit for kings and queens.

Stellenbosch, South Africa (20 April, 2023)—’Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story’ saw Stellenbosch play host to all the belles of the ball, with guests from around the world emulating a Rococo Era Painting.

Gathered in the garden for the premiere of the next instalment of Bridgerton’s world blushed with Stellies sunshine, the event was as much a celebration of South Africa’s ability to understand any royal assignment as it was a premiere.

 

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Last year, Joburg took the tea party by storm at another fabulous affair, where locals first proved not only that they understood the assignment, but that it was theirs for the taking.

 

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From gowns to energy, lace to laughter, we can’t help but put our candles out in manifestation of Bridgerton: A South African Story.

 

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Also in attendance were numerous Nigerian influencers and creatives who dazzled just as brightly, as well as the actresses who play Queen Charlotte, Golda Rosheuvel and Arsema Thomas (young Queen Charlotte).

The Shondaland series is set to hit Netflix screens on 4 May where it’ll set the stage as a prequel to the hit series Bridgerton, and play on historical moments from the actual Queen Charlotte’s life.

Source: Netflix South Africa

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Have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here or click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes there’s good news around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:

Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

The post Bridgerton Came to Stellies and South Africans Aced the Assignment appeared first on Good Things Guy.