Garden of Colour to bring cheer

This year’s popular Garden of Colour picnic will also provide Christmas cheer for children with disabilities.

The event not only brings joy to its fans, but it also gives hope to children who may not have a joyful Christmas otherwise.

It will be held on Christmas Eve at the Absa Stadium and will include a special lunch for more than 50 children in Mdantsane on Chrismas day.

Simanga Mkunyana, the event’s founder, said he was humbled by the impact it has had since it was started in 2016 in Komani.

“The name ‘Garden of Colour’ has to do with colouring lives. Its purpose is to reunite people, for people to meet new people.

“The dream was to tour the concept because it was the first of its kind and then base it in one place,” he said.

“We started in Queenstown [Komani], then Makhanda and the dream was to go to Mthatha but we found ourselves going to East London and it just stayed there.”

Mkunyana said the idea was welcomed with open hands.

“We could tell from the first one that people from East London were happy to experience it.

“They motivated us to continue with it.

“The Garden of Colour picnic is not about filling a stadium, but about giving people a wonderful experience they will never forget,” he said.

Children from the Ubuhlebethu home in Southernwood, and other NPOs have also been invited to attend the Christmas event.

This year’s focus on serving children with disabilities is especially meaningful to Mkunyana.

“When I moved to Johannesburg my mother was working at a school which included disabled children.

“I spent my primary school years there, and when the team suggested we focus on children living with disabilities this year, it felt like a call from God.”