Don’t wait for Mandela Day to do good
There are 365 days in a year, don't just offer assistance on one day, do something good every day.
Don’t just help on Mandela Day, do good every day
I can’t believe it is July already and that there are only five months left in 2024.
July is not only known for the cold winter days and nights, but it is also the month in which Mandela Day is celebrated, bringing out the charitable spirit in all of us.
This year’s Mandela Day is filled with companies and individuals clamouring for their projects to be put in the spotlight, showcasing the diverse needs of people from all walks of life. Once again, I wonder, why wait for this specific day to want to make a difference?
As I was surfing the internet, my eye caught quite a few articles on how everyone has spent this day, but one quote, from the former president’s widow, Graça Machel, hit the nail on the head.
“Let us not look at Mandela Day as an event that we will be part of every year, a pledge for the whole year that goes beyond one’s daily activities. Decide what is the difference I can make to people over the year so that it can become a way of being, not just an event,” she said.
As I sat behind my desk, I came close to applauding her loudly, because that is exactly how I feel.
It is all good and well to help those in need, and attach a name to it, but what happens to them the other 364 days of the year? Are they not homeless anymore? Do they stop being hungry or cold? Do they now suddenly have more than enough to carry them through to the next year’s Mandela Day?
The answer is a resounding no. Those who are in need, need assistance every other day of the year as well. So, my suggestion is, do not follow the masses and only offer your help, compassion and empathy for one day, be different.
Even though it is said that we cannot make a difference in everyone’s life every day, we can do something every day to make a difference in one person’s life.
Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …
