What’s your ’67’ this Mandela Day?

On 18 July 1918, Nelson Mandela took his first breath on this earth. During his life he achieved more than anyone can imagine. He stood – and still stands – as a symbol for peace and reconciliation around the world.

Each year South Africans celebrate Madiba’s legacy on or around 18 July by giving 67 minutes (or 67 rand or 67 blankets or 67 somethings) in honour of Mandela’s 67 years of service to South Africa.

CN&CO will be doing a park clean-up tomorrow, 14 July 2018, in Corlett Drive in Joburg. It’s part of Africa’s Biggest Clean-Up, a partnership between Shoprite and Brownie-Points that will see more than 500 clean-ups taking place in 11 African countries.

CN&CO’s Blake Dyason is one of the pioneers of the project.

“I remember hosting my first big clean up three years ago on Table Mountain,” he says. “A year later I partnered with 5FM, Two Oceans Aquarium, Clean C, Sea Shepherds and Waste Plan to host five clean-ups across Cape Town.”

Last month Blake was part of the team that launched Actforchange.africa as an opportunity for Africa to unite in one initiative to create awareness while making a real difference and educating each other about better ways to manage waste.

Anoyone’s welcome to join our clean-up at 9am on Saturday, 14 July 2018. Click here for more details.

We did a quick survey of our friends and partners to find out what they’ll be doing for Mandela Day this year…

Bidvest Insurance 

Bidvest Insurance’s Durban Contact Centre will be spending 67mins with the Umhlanga Rocks Urban Improvement Project helping with sand dune restoration and cleaning our beautiful beaches. The support has been bolstered with a R5 000 donation to the project.

The company’s Durban office will be heading up to Hillcrest Aids Centre.

“We have ‘Adopted a bed’ for R72 000, which will cover the essential operating costs of the centre’s 24-bed Respite Unit,” explains marketing manager Lucy Cooke. “These costs are crucial to providing life-saving services to over 250 sick children and adults every year.

“Our staff have also volunteered their time to assist in painting of parking bay lines, driveway maintenance, painting of plant nursery container, gardening assistance, haberdashery and bead bracelet making for the centre’s shop.”

In Joburg, the Bidvest Insurance team will be visiting Bethany House in Krugersdorp, a home established in response to the critical need of young people for shelter, access to primary health services and education. Staff will be taking gift packs for all the kids, ages ranging from 0-18, as well as donating a R10 000 Waltons gift voucher for school supplies and a R10 000 Plumblink gift voucher (plus negotiated reduced rates for the house maintenance). Waltons and Plumblink are both part of the Bidvest Group.

In addition, the company will donate a R10 000 Dis-Chem voucher for medical supplies and medication as well as a R10 000 Checkers gift voucher for food.

Insurance Institute of Gauteng

The IIG Class of 2018 students are tasked with raising funds for building homes as part of the the AMOR Housebuild project.

On Mandela Day the team will go into Delmas, Mpumalanga, and work with AMOR on the community project of building homes. Volunteers from all around the world join in and the IIG will be there on 18 July, Mandela Day, to build the Class of 2018 house.

Anyone is welcome to participate on the day or get involved with the fundraising, donation of building equipment, etc. Contact Nina Joubert of the IIG for more info.

FIA Highveld branch

The Highveld branch of the Financial Intermediaries’ Association is calling on anyone in the area to join the team in assisting residents of Koppie Street in Middleburg (Mpumalanga) by donating non-perishable foods and spending 67 minutes with them from 12pm on 18 July.

“Nelson Mandela has fought for social justice for 67 years. We’re asking you to start with 67 minutes,” says Wilma Grech, chairperson of the Highveld Branch. “We would be honoured if such a day can serve to bring people together to fight poverty.”

FIA Peninsula branch

Outsurance

The Outsurance team’s plan for 18 July is to hand out Dignity Dreams packs at Paradise Christian School and Walter Sisulu Primary School in Olievenhoutbosch, Centurion.

Dignity Dreams is an NGO that manufactures and distributes washable pads to at-risk women and girls. The pads are completely sustainable and eco-friendly. The NGO also provides menstrual health education to young women, girls, boys, educators, community leaders and parents.

The Outsurance team, led by Noluthando Nkosi and Mariske Keyter will be distributing pads to more than 400 girls in grades 4 to 7 at the two schools.

“We will take juice and chips/popcorn to the schools to hand out on the day by our OUT volunteers,” says Mariske. “The girls will be given a presentation about the product by the Dignity Dreams facilitator. While this is happening, we will provide the boys from grade 4 to 7 with an informative session on gender issues that affect them.”

The team will be at Paradise Christian School at 10am and at Walter Sisulu Primary School at around 12.30pm on 18 July.

Satrix

Satrix will be celebrating Nelson Mandela by sponsoring the iMadiba Project. Satrix is the first corporate sponsor on the project and has sponsored three sites. On Mandela Day, the company will be celebrating Madiba at the unveiling of an iMadiba site at the Iziko National Gallery in Cape Town.

The team will take the celebrations further by launching the project and unveiling another iMadiba site at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange on 23 July 2018.

Satrix will continue celebrations into the future through people using iMadiba sites for creating conversations for change and by promoting financial inclusion for all South Africans, which is what Satrix is all about.