THIS Mandela Day, the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust (HACT) has extended an invitation to the Highway community to give their 67 minutes of service in support of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
On Friday 18 July the world stops to give 67 minutes of their time to help those in need. This honours the 67 years that Mandela gave to the struggle for social justice.
“In KwaZulu-Natal, one in three people are living with HIV, and in some of the communities in the Valley of 1000 Hills region this figure may be as high as one in two. Nelson Mandela was active in the fight against HIV/AIDS throughout his life, and HACT is putting the challenge out to the community to continue his legacy by supporting the fight against the pandemic,” said Laurel Oettlé, the marketing and fundraising manager at HACT. HACT is encouraging people, families, churches and businesses to engage in the following ways on Mandela Day:
Donate 67 minutes of your time to volunteer at its Centre, 26 Old Main Road in Hillcrest, between 8am and 4pm. “You can help in our plant nursery with weeding, potting and watering, or spend the time making beaded bangles of hope which will be sold in our Woza Moya Craft Shop,” said Laurel
You can spend the 67 minutes sorting through your wardrobe and then dropping off any unwanted second-hand clothing. “These clothes will be distributed through our clothing scheme which provides an income for 20 women and gives their communities access to cheap clothing,” said Laurel.
Spend the 67 minutes going through your house and collecting any unwanted items from furniture, toys, curtains, crockery, cutlery, kitchenware. You can then drop it off at the centre and it will be sold in its second hand shop to bring in an income for its various projects.
You can help in the Respite Unit and cook and serve breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner for the 24 patients. If you are a musical, dance, drama or poetry group, go along and perform for the team of staff and for the 24 patients in the Respite Unit.
Laurel also suggested that residents could spend the 67 minutes at the local supermarket and purchase canned foods or non-perishable items or toiletries to be donated to the centre’s feeding scheme and Respite Unit. “We feed 41 families with food parcels every two weeks and our Respite Unit cares for 24 patients. If you’re super keen to stick in the 67 theme, buy 67 items,” said Laurel.
You can also make a monetary donation of R67, R670 or R6700 towards the centre’s work.
“Bring your friends, families or colleagues to the centre to have a HIV test. It is free and takes roughly 20 minutes per person. We would like to reach the target of 67 tests on the day,” said Laurel. Contact the Hillcrest AIDS Centre Trust on 031 765 5866 or email laurel@hillaids.org.za.
