Pillars OF SUPPORT

We should all be paying it forward, and these women are helping to set an example

Megan Alexis Botha, 53, is based in Northriding, Johannesburg. She founded Beanies for Beings, a non-profit organisation that found its roots in knitting for those in need.

‘When I turned 46, I challenged myself to give back instead of receiving birthday gifts. So, I learned how to knit.

‘With my loom-wielding partner in crime, Gary, I knitted 460 beanies and distributed them among organisations supporting the needy within my community. As an only parent of four children, part of me knows what it’s like to be in need. A gesture as simple as gifting a warm beanie or a tin of soup can make all the difference to a vulnerable soul who is cold and hungry.

‘By June 2017, knitting for those in need was a passion project. We had loomed over 740 more beanies and donated our woolly works to local orphanages, churches and feeding schemes in the surrounding areas.

‘At that point, I knew knitting would only be the beginning of my journey to lend a helping hand. The call for aid in my community extended much further. Women in need of dignity packs, children going hungry, elderly in need of care and animals who didn’t have a voice to call for help.

‘Our charity grew organically from there. My involvement with the needy led me to frequently distribute donations from kind- hearted community members who wanted to help improve the lives of those who needed it most.

‘My retrenchment in August 2017 was the final push I needed to turn my commitment to my community into a purpose. After navigating that career blip, I registered Beanies for Beings as an NPO in May 2018.

‘We’ve been operating for six years and have helped hundreds of Johannesburg-based community members, from Cosmo City to Zandspruit, Lion Park, Video Informal Settlement, Kya Sands, Randpark Ridge and beyond. Beanies for Beings has outgrown its name and now flows through three primary channels: donations, outreach and the cosy knits that started it all.