ABOUT US...

The Green Bag Project (TGBP) is a grassroots, community-based mental healthcare non-profit project that collaborates with people living homeless and experiencing marginalization. Founded by community-based counselling psychologist, Boledi Tladi,  the project operates  in the Braamfontein CBD area and is based out of Wits University, Psychology Dep.

The Project first launched March 2, 2019 with the start-up support of Re Basadi Mental Health Associates (a mental health consultancy & community and social advocacy associateship) and has since been in operation for 4 years. The Project operates on the principles of Ubuntu and community-based participatory action research (CBPAR).

Our program includes activities aimed at connecting with and empowering people to create kinder and safer connections with each other and build a sense of community, to support their mental health. We believe that connection can bring about healing and change, and we act on this belief by holding space for conscientizing group discussions, art-based workshops and support groups. We encourage student-volunteers, local businesses, shelters, churches, etc. to participate with us in action-driven problem-solving, socio-economic support, and creating social awareness.

 

Our very first and hallmark effort towards this, takes form in our toiletry drive, where the public is encouraged to donate a month’s worth of toiletry supplies to be gifted-freely, in a green drawstring bag (which we provide). The toiletries support our patrons in maintaining their basic physical and mental health, sense of self, and gain basic social access to spaces where they would normally be rejected based on appearances (i.e. local clinics). 

Our beliefs:
1.     LEAD WITH KINDNESS! We believe in a trauma-informed & wellness-centered approach. We collaborate with the Wits Masters' in Community Psychology students to participate in a care-based activism that makes people aware of the challenges that people living homeless experience. We believe in teaching people how to treat each other with care and compassion. 

2.    We see our patrons as collaborators and they’ve asked us to identify them as "people experiencing homelessness" or "people living homeless" –reminding us that people are people first, and not only what has happened to them. 

3.    We believe things like luck, kindness, love and compassion aren’t only these elusive energies in the air; they’re choices people make to be the embodiment of their values and beliefs! When you collaborate, volunteer with, or donate to us and our patrons, 

you ARE the luck! 

You ARE the compassion!

​

You ARE the love!

You ARE the kindness!