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Entertainment

South Africa: Cape Mental Health Celebrates 30 Years of Its Colourful Kite Festival

todayOctober 24, 2024 2

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The organisations hosts the annual event to raise funds so it can continue offering mental health services to thousands of people

Cape Mental Health (CHM) kicked off its 30th community kite festival with a day of fun and colourful kite flying for young learners from creches and schools in Heideveld on Wednesday.

Each year the organisation hosts the event to raise funds and awareness about mental health, which the organisation says still carries a lot of stigma. CHM offers mental health services to people with mental health disorders and their families.

This year’s kite festival theme is #HopeOnAString and will be hosted at Melkbosstrand Beach on Sunday, 27 October.

CHM works in different communities, which include Heideveld, Athlone, Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Mitchells Plain. According to the organisation, they serve about 50,000 people and their families a year. There are 22 intervention programmes with 138 staff.

On Wednesday, the sound of children’s laughter and screams could be heard across the sports field as they played games and enjoyed treats while surrounded by brightly coloured kites.

CMH spokesperson Barbara Meyer said, “Bringing the kites into the communities works well because many kids do not get to see or experience kites.”

“Events like this raise awareness but also make the government and businesses realise that mental health needs more attention. When it comes to mental health awareness in our communities a lot more needs to be done,” she said.