Star for Life hosted a Healthy Lifestyle Walk Campaign at Makhasa Community Hall to raise awareness and ensure that everyone takes responsibility of their health, on a physical and psychological level.
The Healthy Lifestyle Walk partnering with numerous stakeholders, such as, Department of Education, Department of Health, Department of Transport, Department of Sports & Recreation, Department of Social Development, Big 5 Hlabisa Traffic department, Big 5 Hlabisa Fire Department, Big 5 Hlabisa Disaster Management, South African Police Services and Traditional leadership from surrounding areas.
The theme of the campaign, #My Health My Priority, aimed to raise awareness and ensure that everyone takes responsibility of their health, on a physical and psychological level. A healthy lifestyle is a way of life that enables people to take good care of their health. To be healthy, one must do more than avoid illness and disease. Regardless of age, everyone has a duty to look out for their own social, emotional, and physical welfare. The phrase “healthy lifestyle” is a simple definition of how to live your life to get the healthiest physical appearance and state of well-being.
The campaign began with a walk at Mduku, next to Shisanyama, and ending at Makhasa Community Hall. The walk also included dancing and singing, along with messages promoting a healthy lifestyle. This saw community members coming in their numbers to participate in the campaign.
Upon arrival at Makhasa Community Hall, the Department of Sports and Recreation conducted a short aerobics session, teaching learners and community members exercises they can do at home to help maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The speeches of the day mainly centered around encouraging community members to exercise regularly and keep their bodies healthy in order to help fight diseases. The benefit of walking increases the heart and lung fitness. It also improves the management of high blood pressure, increases muscle strength and endurance, whilst reducing body fat and improving muscular pain or stiffness. This will help them to stay fit and healthy, which will lead to a prolonged lifespan.
Through partnership with all stakeholders present on the day, the campaign was a huge success. All department representatives relayed important information related to safety, school performance and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A special thank you goes to the Traffic Department for ensuring that all participants of the walk remained safe on the road and not disturbed by traffic. And a thank you to the Traditional leadership for supporting the initiative and helping to spread the word about the campaign.
Star for Life is a non-governmental organization working in partnership with the Department of Education and Department of health, with the vision of creating a future in which young people are empowered to realise their dreams as responsible members of caring communities.