Representatives from Blue Ribbon were recently in Paarl handing out hampers and certificates of recognition to four community activists, as part of the Blue Ribbon Kasi’Pride campaign.
These women have been identified and acknowledged for living their lives with others in mind and being the embodiment of goodwill and generosity. Dalene Davids runs a foundation named after her, which arranges outings for children and helps adults complete their Matric certification. Filida Mhalo operates a soup kitchen from her home in Amstelhof, Paarl East as well as provides aftercare for children from the local schools. Tharina Schweidler arranges outings and lunches for the Soeterust Elderly Club and is also incredibly passionate about uplifting youth in the larger Wellington area. Finally, community member Leezil Laubscher has been instrumental in setting up laptops and a support system to help local parents register their children for school placements on the Western Cape Education Department online portal.
The Kasi’Pride campaign started in February 2022, when Blue Ribbon decided to celebrate the amazing community activism seen during the lockdown and Covid-19 restrictions. During these unprecedented times, community members like Darlene, Filida, Tharina, and Leezil came out in large numbers, working behind the scenes to feed, protect, support, and serve in their community
As part of the campaign, residents in various townships in Cape Town, including Khayelitsha, Gugulethu, Phillipi, Klapmuts, and Mfuleni were encouraged to call into their local radio station and nominate their Kasi heroes. All four women are all from the Paarl region and were each nominated on more than one occasion. As a result, Blue Ribbon has donated to each of their initiatives and awarded them with a certificate of recognition.
