A lot More Than #67Minutes Of #DonateYourGreat For Tata & The Kids.
Children from iKwezi Primary School were joined by several celebs including singer-songwriter, Tresor; TV presenter Roxy Burger, Boity Thulo, Locnvile twins, Hulisani Ravele and rap artist Nomuzi Mabena, for a morning of breakfast and inspirational workshops. The event marked the beginning of Kellogg’s new ‘Start Your Great’ campaign, which challenges people to start encouraging children to dream big and become a nation of future leaders. It also honored this year’s Nelson Mandela Day global call to action, when the Kellogg’s representatives and celebrities donated their great for 67 minutes to help iKwezi Primary to refurbish a classroom.
Being from the township myself and having started my schooling career in a school quiet similar to iKwezi Primary School situated in very close proximity, in the South of Mofolo in Soweto. In one of the conversations I had with some of the guys who were Donating their great on behalf of Kellogg’s and for #MandelaDay. I remember recounting nostalgically my very own experience of the aesthetics of a township school yard and the significance of having the most important meal of the day accompanied by familiar and inspirational faces of the media.
TV plays a very big role in driving the career choices of township youth. This as a result means, we are either inspired by TV presenters and radio DJs and whatever it is that is popular on TV at the time. I found it very fitting to have a select crop of young and high flying TV faces speaking sense into the young people of iKwezi Primary.
After helping out serve a filling bowl of breakfast. We endeavoured to visit different classrooms in separate groups. I ended up in a classroom with Roxy Burger, Hulisane Ravele and Nomuzi Mabena. Who for a lack of a better term dropped some gems on the kids. Stellar advice from level headed young people who aspired to do even greater things in their lives and communities. For the team at Kellogg’s, who might not be around long enough at their current designation to see how their contribution to the little people of all the schools they’ve touched throughout their impactful initiatives. I think you’ve carried on a trend Madiba himself who’d be proud of.
‘Start Your Great’ should not only be seen as a campaign but a motto for young people who have little-to-nothing to believe in or hold onto in times of need. Affording people the ability to believe in themselves is a selfless gift in life. When the world seems to attack you and tempt you to have no confidence in yourself. Being told to dream big and become a future leader of your nation by individuals who’ve taken the steps in that direction brings you closer to the reality of becoming whatever your heart desires.
A lot of the kids at iKwezi still haven’t figured out who they are and what roles to play in society but the seed’s been planted. Which means we’ve donated a little bit of greatness. We also helped paint and refurbish a classroom but in a larger scheme of things. The kids will look at the classroom and think to themselves “the Locnville twins or Boity or Nomuzi Mabena” hell even maybe a ‘Twiice’ will be in that conversation of the day “we the pupils of iKwezi shared a day with our very own local stars”. I trust that we gave a lot more than the expected 67 minutes, not enough time when you’re doing something for other either than yourself. Go out there and “Start Your Great”.