Make every day a Mandela Day

MANDELA Day was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said: “It is in your hands now.”

The message behind Mandela Day is simple – each individual has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better.

Nelson Mandela followed three rules throughout his life, which he did at great personal sacrifice: Free yourself, free others and serve every day. Madiba was the quintessential public servant and a hard act to follow.

Mandela Day is a global call to action for citizens of the world to take up the challenge and follow in the formidable footsteps of Madiba, a man who transformed his life, served his country and freed his people. Its objective is to inspire individuals to take action to help change the world for the better and in so doing, to build a global movement for good.

Commongood.org.za offers 67 suggestions for ways to honour Madiba and keep his legacy alive. Some of the ideas on the website are area-specific, but they can be adapted to apply anywhere in the world.

1 Put together stationery packs (pens, stickers, coloured paper, scissors, etc.) for teachers at an under-resourced school.

2 Do a neighbourhood clean-up armed with plastic gloves and black bags.

3 Sort donated clothes for a local charity shop.

4 Volunteer your time at a care centre.

5 Make ‘care kits’ (including a comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, face cloth, etc.) for patients at a nearby government hospital.

6 Throw a tea party for the children and carers at a children’s home.

7 Offer to mow the lawn and fix up the garden at a nursing home or hospice.

8 Research an issue you’d like to find out more about and then share your findings with friends on social media.

9 Pack meals for under-resourced pre-schools.

10 Support local industries.

11 As an office, make sandwiches to give to people living on the street.

12 Organise a fun outing for children in an HIV/Aids programme.

13 Offer to read stories to children at a children’s home.

14 Learn first aid.

15 Give blood.

16 Become an organ donor

17 Host a dinner where the meal budget is R5 per person as a way of identifying with the millions who live below the poverty line.

18 Read Long Walk to Freedom.

19 Set up a recycling system for your home.

20 Create a car pool schedule with your colleagues to cut down on carbon emissions.

21 Plant a garden or tree where the whole neighborhood can enjoy it.

22 Clean up a city park.

23 Make an effort to get to know people who you wouldn’t ordinarily speak to.

24 Offer to fix things at a local school or organisation (paint, broken windows, etc).

25 Remove graffiti.

26 Help build a home.

27 Donate educational materials to needy schools.

28 Walk instead of taking your car – and have conversations with some of the people you meet on your way.

29 Hold a teddy bear or book drive for a children’s home.

30 Take part in a charity walk.

31 Organise a tea party for care-givers.

32 Join a knit-a-thon.

33 Baby-sit for a single parent.

34 Volunteer at an animal shelter.

35 Adopt a pet from an animal shelter.

36 Donate books to your local library.

37 Collect and distribute children’s books to under-resourced schools.

38 Visit a reading club at a nearby school, church or library.

39 Donate magazines and books to an under-resourced home for the elderly.

40 Invite a carer to go on a relaxing outing to the beach or to a park for a picnic.

41 Throw a party for the residents of an old age home.

42 Mow the garden or clean the windows for a senior citizen.

43 Pick up groceries or medicine for an elderly person.

44 Go for a walk with a senior citizen in your community.

45 Teach someone how to use a computer and the Internet.

46 Tutor someone who needs help learning your mother tongue.

47 Donate your old computer to an under-resourced school.

48 Hold a mini-Olympics at an under-resourced school.

49 Take public transport for the day.

50 Become a mentor or tutor.

51 Offer to attend a high school class to talk to students about your career.

52 Find out more about the course to become a Lifeline/Childline counsellor.

53 Knit a blanket for someone in need.

54 Bake cookies and take them to a police station for the police officers.

55 Write a letter to a newspaper editor about an issue you care about.

56 Blog about a non-profit organisation that needs support.

57 Offer your skills to help an organisation run more efficiently.

58 Organise a prayer meeting with family and friends to pray for our country.

59 Host a movie night for friends, showing documentaries on social justice.

60 Purchase vouchers to give to people living on the street.

61 Sign up for MySchool and donate to your favourite organisations every time you purchase something.

62 Do something to support children living with disabilities.

63 Read the first 67 pages of Generous Justice by Tim Keller. (You’ll want to read the rest.)

64 Park your car and share lunch with a homeless person.

65. Knit a cuddly toy.

66 Go through your house and donate some of your good quality items to a charity shop.

67 Make every day Mandela Day!

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