Mandela Day is coming up! Each year on 18 July we think back on what Nelson Mandela did for our country and what still has to be done. Mandela Day is the perfect opportunity to make the world a better place, but we shouldn’t stop at just this one day in the middle of July. We should be making every day a Mandela Day to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Tata Madiba in a way that will bring about enduring change.
Still wondering how you can make a difference come next Thursday? We’ve got a few ideas for you.
Ready, set, KNIT.
Get your knitting needles ready and knit a blanket for 67 Blankets for Mandela Day. 67 Blankets celebrate their sixth year of knitting the country together in warm displays around the country by creating Magical Moments 4 Mandela .
Respect your elders
Head to your local old age home and spend some time with the elderly. If you have some spare change you can also put together a goodie bag with a few essentials such as toothpaste, a bar of soap, a scarf or fluffy pair of socks and hand them over to a nursing home or frail care facility.
Got skills?
Try reaching out to a group of youngsters to teach them your art, whatever it may be. You can volunteer and organise some after-school activities at a local school.
Make some more
Prepare some extra food a few nights this week and donate them to a shelter or home close to you. Get in touch with soup kitchens in your area and find out what they need. Ladles of Love in Cape Town or Better SA are good places to start.
Those boots were made for … working
Get your hands dirty by helping out and sprucing up the local animal shelter or community center. Empty out the garage and kitchen and see what you don’t need anymore. You can donate these items to be sold at the affiliated charity shops with all profits going to the animal shelters in question.
Clean your community
Grab a few friends and spend 67 minutes (or more) cleaning up your community or beach. If you see a spot that needs cleaning, go for it! You can even post your event on Facebook or your neighbourhood Whatsapp group to get more hands on deck.
Get social
Follow and tag Mandela Day on social media to spread the word and perhaps make a difference in someone’s life. Twitter | Facebook
And if you can’t donate 67 minutes of your time on Mandela Day, consider offering up your time on a different day of the year or donating money or supplies to a worthy cause. Visit the Mandela Day website if you are in need of more inspiration.
“The message behind Mandela Day is simple – everyone has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. If each one of us heeds the call to simply do something good every day, we can live Nelson Mandela’s legacy and help build the country of our dreams.” - The Nelson Mandela Foundation
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