On 3 November 2016 a team of 32 CBA staff members left our head office in Diep River for The Homestead in Khayelitsha for a Maintenance Day. There was lots of excitement on the bus drive there for the day out. One of our CBA vans followed with all the kit we needed for the day.
To listen to the Cape Talk interview with the Director of The Homestead, Paul Hooper click here.
On arrival, everyone chipped in and unpacked the CBA van. The Operations Manager, Annie Van Wyk took us to the cottage where we would be working. The cottage has four dormitory rooms and a communal area. Our job was to paint the four rooms and the communal area. As well as put up curtain rods on 20 windows with curtain rings. CBA provided everything that was necessary for the transformation of the cottage.
Our staff were divided into four teams and were assigned a room. Then the fun started with everyone embracing their assigned rooms and getting the job done. The staff were amazing and the team work from different departments was awesome to see! Seeing everyone using their initiative was very refreshing!
We served our staff coffee and muffins in the morning to give them the energy they needed before lunch. The teams worked consistently and did a superb job in painting. Our drill team worked well together getting the curtain rods and brackets installed.
Once the four rooms were finished, all four teams got stuck into the communal area. We painted a focus wall Sapphire Blue and all the other walls white. Whilst waiting for the blue wall to dry for the second coat, we had our lunch which was pizza and a cool drink. We shared our lunch with some of the boys that stayed there and The Homestead staff.
After lunch, some of the team continued with the second coat of blue and the clean-up whilst the rest of our team played soccer with the boys.
The day was very successful. CBA were so proud of their staff that were willing to leave their comfort zone and do something for those less fortunate. The experience for them was very rewarding and made them aware of the life outside their suburbs.
The Homestead were very grateful for our contribution towards the betterment of the cottage. We have sent a request to our staff for mirrors, mats etc. to make the cottage more homely.
We will be doing another Maintenance Day next year March at The Homestead. This will give the staff that never went this time round the opportunity to experience the joy and positive service we gave this NGO.
CBA are dedicated to providing a helping hand and giving back to the local community. We are passionate about leaving a mark of positive influence at various organisations that we support and are involved in. It’s about being responsible about the choices we make and it’s the core of everything we do.
“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.” ~ Muhammad Ali
“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.” ~ Albert Einstein
For more information on The Homestead, visit their website.
