The Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies (BWL), in collaboration with the Bonteheuwel International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG) Peace Committee, Communitree, Greenpop and Boundary Primary School, planted a sunflower peace garden at the school on Wednesday March 6.
The planting of the peace garden was in commemoration of International Women’s Day, which was on Friday March 8.
Boundary Primary School welcomed the garden. Deputy principal, Rucien Kuhn, said the garden is needed. He said the message of peace was so relevant , because there is a high incidence of gang violence, especially in the school’s immediate surroundings.
“There is no green space for the children to find their inner peace. However, we do have a yoga programme at school to help with anger management. The peace garden will help with beautifying the school and it will give our pupils the serenity they need outside of the classroom. It will become a peaceful and lush garden where they would be able to do their school work,” Mr Kuhn said.
Nancy Roussopoulos from the IWPG shared the message of peace with the pupils.
“Peace can only come if we have it inside of us. That is the only way we would be able to give it. Women are natural nurturers. We should not just speak it, but put it into action to make a difference in our communities. A small change in thinking can make a big difference – even something as small as a seed,” Ms Roussopoulos said.
The children also wrote notes on yellow hearts and addressed it to president Cyril Ramaphosa. These were taken by Soraya Salie, the chairperson of the Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies and IWPG Peace Committee leader in Bonteheuwel, who will present it to the president on Human Rights Day, Thursday March 21, in Parliament.
Said Ms Salie: “As the IWPG, we believe that by the power of our creator, and with the compassionate hearts of 3.7 billion women across the globe, and the implementation of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War, that world peace is possible. The Bonteheuwel IWPG Peace Committee kindly wish to thank the school for the opportunity to interact and establish a sunflower peace garden at Boundary Primary. We are humbled with gratitude to add another ‘B’ to our mission, as we already have the BWL, Bonteheuwel High and Bergsig Primary schools, working towards establishing fynbos peace gardens at our homes, schools and elsewhere in our community, to attract the butterflies, birds and bees to our bountiful Bonteheuwel.”
