’Tis the season for the joy of giving, and musical pair Liske Hemingway and Akhona Nkumanda believe every puppy and kitten at the Uitenhage SPCA deserves to be loved.
The dynamic duo, along with other artists, will host an opera benefit concert on Wednesday November 28 at 7pm at the NMU south campus auditorium in aid of the animal shelter.
Hemingway, 28, and Nkumanda, 27, believe it would be more beneficial to have a concert to raise funds for the animal shelter instead of having a normal Christmas carols concert.
“After scrolling through my Facebook feed and from seeing posts by the SPCA, I saw that there are many animals that are in need. I wanted to help in the best way I could,” Hemingway said.
She said she then pitched the idea to other artists whom she felt shared her passion for animals.
“I’m not the [wealthiest] person in the world and I do not have a lot of money to give.
“However, I do have a talent for singing and a network of performing artists who share my love for animals and the Nelson Mandela Bay community,” Hemingway said.
“Our objective is to use our gifts to try to create awareness on the state of how many animals are in need of homes and hopefully try and get some of them adopted, or to raise funds for the shelter to continue the good work it is doing.”
The duo will share the stage with Lara Potgieter, Charlandi Hattingh and Andy Matima.
A small donation of money, food, blankets, cleaning products or other useful items will get you through the door.
Nkumanda said they had visited the animal shelter at the weekend and seen the number of homeless animals.
“I decided to do this because of my love for animals.
“Christmas is the time of giving; it’s a time when [people and] even organisations start giving and sharing love.”
Nkumanda said those not in a position to adopt an animal could make a small donation.
SPCA district chair Deirdre Swift said the animal shelter was managing to keep its head above water through generous donations from the Nelson Mandela Bay community.
But she said the pound was closed due to payment issues with the municipality.
“I do want to say that we have been very fortunate. We have had a lot of offers of assistance from the public.
“There’s a local business that has been making generous donations to us,” Swift said. “We’ve been truly blessed.” Despite its being closed, Swift said the shelter still took in stray animals.
For donations and bookings for Christmas at the Opera for Animals contact Kim Nkumanda at 078-956-1729 or e-mail kim.nkumanda@gmail.com