Time to nominate 2024 Local Heroes

It time once again to celebrate community philanthropists and developers for their commitment to ploughing back without expecting anything in return. 

Local changemakers are given an opportunity to be recognised and celebrated through the Daily Dispatch Kenvue (formerly part of Johnson & Johnson) Local Heroes awards.

Daily Dispatch readers are invited to nominate individuals from their communities who are making a difference, for a chance to be crowned 2024’s local heroes.

At the 10th annual Local Heroes Awards, the Daily Dispatch, alongside its headline sponsor Kenvue, will give 12 local heroes an opportunity to highlight the amazing work they do at a celebratory ceremony.

Daily Dispatch general manager Ryan Megaw said there was no limit on the number of nominees for the awards, but selected candidates and their work would be covered in the Daily Dispatch and DispatchLIVE.

“Local Heroes highlights the work of people who selflessly serve our communities.

“While some of these are attached to NPOs or charities, many aren’t, and it is about recognising their efforts in their personal capacity and amplifying the good that is done, both to inspire others and reward these extraordinary people,” he said.

“While there are no winners, and we consider everyone doing good a winner, we choose 12 heroes and their stories to highlight at a banquet that will be held at the end of the year.”

Megaw said the aim was to generate support for nominees and their causes in the hope that it would give their work further impetus.

“Every year we are stunned at the number of remarkable stories we cover,” he said.

As 2024 marks the awards’ 10th anniversary, esteemed guests at the end-of-year banquet will get to will look back on and celebrate some of the most inspirational stories covered through the years. 

Megaw said: “We have had the opportunity to tell ‘good news’ stories, and have been able to support and encourage those who at the most basic level are bringing light and hope.

“Kenvue, our partners in this initiative, have helped us drive Local Heroes for all 10 years since inception.”

He said Kenvue’s commitment to giving back to the community in which it operated, and supporting Local Heroes, was exceptional.

“They have made a huge impact in the region,” Megaw said.

The 2023 awards were held at the Premier Hotel ICC, where the winners were announced during a night of glitz and glamour.

Twelve winners each walked away with R20,000 in cash and a professionally shot video of their projects.

Among the winners was Kennitta Prinsloo, 62, who helps feed the hungry through her nonprofit organisation (NPO) Kennitta Community Projects.

“I believe we must share every gift we have from God with those around us.

“I’ve been in Garcia flats for about 29 years and I’ve been doing this for more than 17 years.

“I love to cook and bake, and I believe in offering people what I would also eat, so I put effort into the food I make for other people.

“I will never dish out something I know I wouldn’t eat and expect someone else to eat it just because it’s free,” Prinsloo said.

Another winner, Sam Ramsay, who was diagnosed with breast cancer about four years ago, noticed gaps in the approach to cancer treatment in SA, prompting her to research integrative methods that include caring for patients emotionally, mentally and physically with complementary and alternative therapies.

From her own experience and research, Ramsay noted a need for support groups for cancer patients, and so started one.

She went on to start her NPO, The Cancer Connection, to provide various types of support to cancer patients and charities.

The organisation seeks to facilitate better support systems for cancer patients, ease treatment side-effects naturally and help patients find guidance on integrative and holistic healing, among other interventions.

The Cancer Connection provides holistic support through groups for children and teens, as well as separate adult groups.

The NPO provides patients in active treatment programmes with frozen home-cooked meals, curates care packets containing natural items to aid the healing process and ease their experience, and gives caregivers and patients tool kits to navigate their journey with a focus on optimal mind, body and soul healing.

Nominations for 2024 may be submitted by emailing a 500-word motivation to localheroes@dispatch.co.za.

Nominations must include all the necessary details including the nominee’s name, cellphone number and email address.

Unsuccessful nominees from previous years may be renominated for the 2024 awards.

DispatchLIVE