Change the world

01/04/2015

In celebration of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s 10th anniversary in 2015, NMMU George campus has dedicated itself to participating in at least ten corporate social initiatives and community outreaches for the year. The OCC wheelchair challenge, which NMMU has been supporting for the past six years, offered the first opportunity to the young Madibaz to demonstrate the university’s inspiring value system, notably of Ubuntu and taking responsibility.

This year close to a hundred NMMU staff and students dedicated their time and energy in support of both the wheelchair games at the Garden Route Mall on 20 February and the official OCC race the following day.

Some of the tasks assigned to the Madibaz at the Garden Route Mall event included setting up of the sport area and managing the entire event; the welcoming and registration of close to 700 learners from schools throughout the George region; planning, time-keeping and administering of the individual races; assisting able-bodied learners who participated in the wheelchair games in order to experience what life would be like in a wheelchair, and what the challenges are that face persons with impaired mobility. 

Students also co-ordinated the allocation of prizes for the prize-giving; refreshment packs for the visiting learners and ensured that learners were kept safe at all times, while enjoying the games – either as participants or spectators. Other roles included perimeter control and standing in as ball boys while professional wheelchair tennis players demonstrated their tennis skills against that of a number of celebrities.

The overall event saw students who displayed excellent leadership qualities and the value of Ubuntu towards one another and those with physical limitations.

The same vigour and willingness was evident at the official race on the 21st of February, where staff and students in large numbers endured the pouring rain to ensure that the OCC participants in the 5 km fun event were appropriately welcomed and assisted to the starting point in a timely manner. NMMU and ETA students partnered in ensuring that participants who arrived in buses were assisted with parking and other logistical arrangements, including matching of volunteers who had opted to push participants in the 5 km fun event, with disabled persons in need of this service.  Numerous students, too, made it their responsibility to accompany participants throughout the fun event.

NMMU staff and students also managed the booking out and return of borrowed wheelchairs assigned to persons in the fun event who had made arrangements with the OCC upfront. Students also serviced water points during the official race.

Well done to all the NMMU George campus staff and young Madibaz who were once again wonderful ambassadors in and around the George community!

A cheerful group of NMMU George Campus students who participated in the OCC-related wheelchair games at the Garden Route Mall. Among them are celebrities, Heino Schmitt (Altus de Bruyn from 7de Laan), Anelisa Phewa (Sifiso Ndlela from 7de Laan) and Merlin Balie from the Vodacom Player 23 Advert.

NMMU George students are seen assisting primary school learners from in and around the George area who had thoroughly enjoyed themselves at the wheelchair races held at the Garden Route Mall on 20 February.

 

Societies Officer of the NMMU George Student Council, Thandekile Njozela, hands out prizes to the lucky winners of the individual fun races held at the Garden Route Mall on 20 February.

Contact information
Ms Alet van Tonder
Manager: Marketing & Corporate Relations
Tel: 27 44 801 5098
alet.vantonder@mandela.ac.za