For Plascon, coatings have always been about more than colour; it’s about how a fresh coat of paint can change environments for individuals and communities.
That belief is at the heart of the company’s partnership with HOOD Youth Development Project, a non-profit organisation working in Uitsig, Ravensmead, in the Western Cape.
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Cape Flats youth beautify their area
One of HOOD Youth Development’s current initiatives, Dignify the Youth, aims to reclaim community spaces and restore self-worth, hope and pride in residents. Young people are involved in painting over gang-claimed graffiti walls and beautifying neglected open areas that are currently used for illegal dumping.
“Our area struggles with high levels of crime and gangsterism, and many young people are at risk of being drawn into negative activities,” states Adam Alexander of Dignify the Youth.
“By involving them in positive community work such as painting, cleaning and planting, we aim to divert them from crime and guide them toward responsibility, teamwork and pride in their environment,” he continues.
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Senior citizens also helped
Plascon and Dignify the Youth also provided exterior paint makeovers for six elderly Uitsig residents who weren’t able to carry out these home improvements themselves, as well as for the area’s community centre.
“The support from Plascon has made a meaningful difference,” says Alexander.
Plascon’s head of marketing, Leslie Frank, says, “It is inspiring to see how our paint directly transforms derelict spaces into clean and colourful areas for the community to enjoy.”
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