CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Hobbyists flew kites of all shapes and sizes Sunday at a South African festival to raise mental health awareness and brighten up the beachside.
The Cape Town International Kite Festival is in its 30th year and attracts participants from as far as the United States and Tunisia.
According to organizer Barbara Meyer, the participants ranged from experienced professionals (there is such a thing as professional kite flying) to children jumping off the sand while their kites fly in the sky. Ta.
The kite designs included a “Finding Nemo”-inspired fish, a blue dragon, a yellow lizard and a billowing green jellyfish. One of the more creative participants was a kite in the shape of a skydiver. The other was a giant hand that flew over the audience, waving in the wind.
October is Mental Health Month in South Africa. Mr Meyer said the festival was an important fundraiser for Cape Mental Health, an organization that provides almost free counseling to those who need it in the Cape Town area.
She said the kite reflected the motto: “No matter how fragile a string may seem, a person can use it to support a kite the size of a house.”
She said the past few years have been tough for many people, especially young people, who have suffered the emotional scars of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“COVID-19 has brought out so many different demographics of people,” she said. “People lost their families. The problems of quarantine and lockdown made things worse. There were also many unemployed people, and many people came to us for help.”
___AP Africa News: https://apnews.com/hub/africa
