By Shakirah Thebus 
Jun 25, 2021
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Cape Town – The Neighbourhood Old-Age Homes (Noah) has called on the public to spend their 67 minutes for Mandela Day helping provide a much-needed revamp to its Woodstock and Khayelitsha centres.
The public can assist by taking part in its Covid-19-compliant team-building activities on Mandela Day, July 18, or can be accommodated a week before or after.
Noah social enterprise development manager Jane Mills said this emerged when it was found that Covid-19-friendly options were needed for the public to assist.
“We require four painting jobs to be done at our centre in Woodstock and Khayelitsha to improve our aesthetics and maintain our buildings. Two of the jobs requiring volunteers will assist us in refreshing the look of our second-hand shop, Selling Seconds, in Khayelitsha and Woodstock,” said Mills.
“The hope is that a new look will improve our turnover and in turn benefit our membership and their bottom lines. The jobs are simple and require basic painting skills and a socially distant, outdoor activity for teams or individuals.”
The public can assist by donating paint, paint brushes and rollers, groundsheets, turpentine, or assist on the day with painting. A request has also been made for 300 raincoats for members who will receive their vaccinations next week, many of whom will have to wait outside in the rain.
A preparation meeting will be held a day before and the Noah team will assist with logistical planning, with members and staff available on the day to assist and support.
Senior residents dependent on the R1 890 monthly grant continue to face food and income insecurity, loneliness and other social ills. Noah supports around 500 senior citizens and assists in finding innovative and sustainable ways to mitigate these challenges, such as providing income-generating opportunities and social inclusion.