{"id":6630,"date":"2022-10-21T14:57:13","date_gmt":"2022-10-21T12:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disabilityconnect.co.za\/?p=6630"},"modified":"2022-10-21T14:57:13","modified_gmt":"2022-10-21T12:57:13","slug":"flying-a-kite-for-mental-health-in-manenberg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.disabilityconnectexpo.com\/index.php\/2022\/10\/21\/flying-a-kite-for-mental-health-in-manenberg\/","title":{"rendered":"Flying a kite for mental health in Manenberg"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brightly coloured kites of rainbows, birds and sea life briskly flew in the sky above the Heideveld Sports Field in Manenberg, Cape Town as hundreds of children, parents and caregivers participated in Cape Mental Health\u2019s kite festival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Text by Mary-Anne Gontsana<\/a>. Photos by Ashraf Hendricks<\/a> – GroundUp<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Founded in 1913, Cape Mental Health provides essential mental health services. The theme for this year\u2019s event is #FlyYourDreams. To mark Mental Health Awareness Month, the organisation is hosting different events in communities across the Western Cape throughout October. The events raise awareness about mental health and aim to reduce stigma associated with intellectual disability. The organisation said their events will focus on the mental health and wellbeing of children, especially those in poorly resourced communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bobby Gathoo shows off the kite he designed to look like a swallow.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Many of the children attending the event are from Cape Mental Health\u2019s facilities in Heideveld, Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha, as well as from early childhood development (ECD) centres in Heideveld.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Resident Tasneem Jacobs, who was helping her four-year-old daughter fly a rainbow kite, said they were walking to the shop when she noticed the colourful kites in the sky. \u201cI recognised the kites because I have attended the organisation\u2019s kite festival before \u2026 I don\u2019t think there is enough awareness about mental health because people still don\u2019t take it seriously in our communities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Manenberg resident Tasneem Jacobs helps her four-year-old daughter, Almaaz Colbie fly a small kite she got at the event.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople with mental health conditions get discharged quickly from public facilities without getting proper treatment, or they end up discharging themselves,\u201d said Jacobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cape Mental Health\u2019s Barbara Meyer said they wanted to bring awareness and access to people in communities where their free services are needed the most. \u201cWe offer support services and awareness for persons with intellectual disabilities and people with psychosocial disorders. That would be people with depression, bipolar, schizophrenia,\u201d said Meyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the organisation\u2019s donor development manager Sandra Ellis, Cape Mental Health is subsidised by the state but that they needed other income to be sustainable. \u201cSo we rent out premises, we make products that we trade and sell, like woodwork and cement products, catering. We also host events like the kite festival. We welcome donations as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Asked why kites, Ellis said, \u201cWe haven\u2019t found anything else that provides such a good springboard for talking about mental health, as a kite. With kites, you have to look up. It elevates you and there\u2019s a fun element. It brings out the child in all of us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd whether it\u2019s a homemade kite or store bought, it\u2019s accessible to everybody. A kite is a backdrop for us to talk to people about the services we offer at Cape Mental Health,\u201d said Ellis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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