Hero 4 Hope - The Artist

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes, and in spite of fear or doubt, they rise from the ashes and make a stand for those who aren't able to.

The recent unrest in KZN and JHB demonstrated just how many heroes we have in our midst. Ordinary citizens, who when faced by a crisis, stepped forward to protect not only their families but also their communities.

Candice Leth, an artist in KZN, her daughter Sinead and her boyfriend Brendan Lyle, commemorated these heroes in the most inspirational way...through art.

'We were so touched and grateful for the brave people in our community who not only barricaded the roads but patrolled the streets until all hours, keeping us safe', said Candice.

For 3 days most residents were gripped by fear as fires ravaged buildings, looters caused chaos and gunshots echoed from many different directions.

It was a very dark time. But fortunately Candice and her family found an amazing way to uplift their community whilst showing gratitude to those who were going out of their way to serve and protect.

They painted a mural, in all the bright colours of the South African flag. Raised fists, representing our countries diversity and unity, took centre stage. They also added a special symbol to the top corner representing a song from the 90's - 'Peace in our land'.

'Although it was a traumatic time, what stood out was how quickly the communities pulled together', said Candice.

'After painting the mural we got such an overwhelming response from the community that we decided to use the design on stickers and buffs to help raise money for the CPF's (Community Policing Forums) in 2 areas .

We were very moved and blown away by the public response, with one post reaching almost 70 000 people. To think our little family mural has ended up as profile pictures on WhatsApp and Facebook, and has inspired others to recreate our design in their own spaces, is mind-blowing.

We were recently sponsored to paint our mural on another wall and are currently in the process of getting permission for a big public wall. This will then give the opportunity for other sponsors to support our community drive'.

If you are looking for stickers or buff's please contact Chantal Whiteford at: https://www.facebook.com/beinspiredtocreatebeautifulthings

To reach out to Candice visit: https://www.facebook.com/art.by.candice.leth

Visit our Facebook page to see more on this story.