10 ways to a meaningful Mandela Day
JOBURG - The goal of Mandela Day on 18 July is to inspire people to change the world for the better.
Nelson Mandela gave 67 years of his life to making the world a better place; 67 years commemorated by 67 minutes of selfless service on Mandela Day.
Here are 10 suggestions, based on ideas from the Mandela Day website ( www.mandeladay.com ), to help you make this year’s event all the more meaningful.
1. Make a new friend. Get to know someone from a different cultural background. Only through mutual understanding can we rid our communities of intolerance and xenophobia.
Bienvenu Shelter for Refugee Women and Their Children in Bertrams provides food, clothing, transport and other forms of assistance to these most vulnerable of people.
Contact them and see how you can get involved this Mandela Day.
Details: 011 624 2916; bienvenu@telkomsa.net
2. Help out at the local animal shelter. Dogs without homes still need a walk and a bit of love.
Get hold of the SPCA or a shelter such as Kitty and Puppy Haven and find out what you can do for our furry friends.
Details: Sandton SPCA 011 444 7730, info@sandtonspca.org.za; Kitty and Puppy Haven 010 224 0760; info@kittyhaven.co.za
3. Sponsor a group of pupils to go to the theatre or zoo.
There are numerous children’s productions on stage this month, from Disney’s My Son Pinocchio Jr at the People’s Theatre at Joburg Theatre; Freckleface Strawberry at the National Children’s Theatre, Parktown; and a selection of puppet shows at the Kinder Theatre, Emmarentia.
Joburg Zoo welcomes visitors of all ages, and often hosts children’s activities.
Details: The People’s Theatre 011 403 1563, www.peoplestheatre.co.za; National Children’s Theatre 011 484 1584, www.nationalchildrenstheatre.org.za; Kinder Theatre 011 646 7457, www.kinderspiel.co.za; Joburg Zoo 011 646 2000; www.jhbzoo.org.za
4. Help out at your local hospice, as staff members often need as much support as the patients.
HospiceWits offers numerous ways for people to get involved, whether it be through volunteer work, donations, or through its charity shops.
Find out how you can get involved this Mandela Day.
Details: 011 483 9100; www.hospicewits.co.za
5. Start a community garden to encourage healthy eating in your community.
Get your hands dirty at Bertrams Inner City Farm by helping to weed, plant and mulch this two-acre community vegetable garden. You will also be able to enjoy a luncheon feast made with produce from the garden on Mandela Day.
Alternatively, you could follow the example of Pam Klette and turn your pavement into a veggie patch, as reported on by our sister publication, Rosebank Killarney Gazette, click here to read more.
Details: Bertrams Inner City Farm 082 492 3595; taryn.paterson@gmail.com
6. Donate indigenous trees to beautify neighbourhoods in poorer areas.
Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo are happy to work with individuals and corporates to further the greening of the city.
Contact them and find out how you can help.
Details: 011 712 6600; www.jhbcityparks.com
7. Get in touch with your local HIV organisations and find out how you can help.
HIVSA provides support to various communities and has developed several education and training programmes.
Details: 011 339 1668; www.hivsa.com
8. Donate a wheelchair or guide dog to someone in need.
Help those in need to make their way in the world by helping them get mobile. The Association for the Physically Disabled offers various means of involvement, while the South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind is happy to accept volunteers and sponsorships.
Details: Association for the Physically Disabled 011 646 8331, www.apd.org.za; SA Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind 011 705 3512, info@guidedog.org.za
9. Teach an adult literacy class
Various groups, organisations and institutions work with hundreds of illiterate or semi-literate people on a daily basis.
Among them are Rosebank’s Immaculata Shelter, and Jam, a group of homeless Hillbrow youths who are learning the wonders of Shakespeare, supported by the Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa’s Johannesburg branch.
Details: Immaculata Shelter 011 325 0329, 079 507 7335; Shakespeare Society of Southern Africa 011 788 4251
10. Paint or repair infrastructure at an orphanage or youth centre.
Westcliff’s Princess Alice Adoption Home has a range of options for people who would like to do something for the home – even if it’s not on Mandela Day itself.
Details: 011 646 5641; www.princessalice.org.za
What will you be doing on Mandela Day?
Tell us by posting on our timeline, Rosebank Killarney Gazette or tweet us @RK_Gazette
Add us on BBM for the latest news in your community. PIN: 29C7976C
3 Comments