This month we’ll once again celebrate Mandela Day, a day where people around the world are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes doing something positive for their communities.
Don’t fret if you’ve left it to the last minute and haven’t got anything planned for the day, that’s what we’re here for! Here are just a few easy ways that you can give back on Mandela Day (July 18), and on every day from here on out.
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1. The easiest way to volunteer, donate or offer your services from anywhere
Forgood.co.za is a GENIUS portal that connects charities with people who have time, money or specific services to offer. It’s basically designed for those of us who want to help charities and causes all over South Africa, but really have no idea where to start.
You’ll find at least a 100 different opportunities (across SA) for you to give back on Mandela Day and it’s broken down into different provinces making it easier for you to find a cause in your community.
2. Dance for charity
By now we’re quite familiar with the Secret Sunrise events where you’re equipped with dance instructors, silent headphones and some sick beats so you can dancercise at a secret location.
Both Secret Sunrise Joburg and Cape Town have jumped on board the Mandela Day train, along with other locations from around the world, and will be hosting events on the 18th where people can dance, have fun AND do their bit for charity.
Jozi’s Dance for Madiba will be taking place at the Children’s Memorial Institute in Braamfontein while an amazing array of local DJ’s will keep you grooving for just over an hour starting at 5pm. Ticket prices are R125 for adults and R85 for kids, and the venue will be open from 4:30pm. All proceeds will go to Children’s Memorial Institute at the Uthando Centre. the Dance For Madiba campaign – the Nelson Mandela Foundation and No Danger Diaries are both beneficiaries. Click here to buy tickets.
Head to the Harvest Cafe & Deli on Wale Street to join Cape Town’s Dance for Madiba – for a 67-minute dance session that will take place at the exact same time as the Joburg one. The entry fee is R125 for adults and R85 for kids; you’re also encouraged to make any additional donations if possible. Click here to buy tickets.
3. Cape Town beach clean-up
CleanC help keep Cape Town’s beaches clean and free of litter. Beach clean-ups run on the first Saturday of every month starting at 10am and Capetonians are encouraged to give of their time to help clean up the beaches. Gloves and bags are provided and it’s a great way to soak up the sun while doing some good in the world.
On 18 July, the NGO is holding a beach walk/run for Mandela Day. The event, called 1 Million Steps for Madiba, will be held in Blaauwberg at will start from Blaauwberg Beach Hotel at 5pm. Adults and children are invited to help clean up the beach for an entry fee of R100.
4. Help our four-legged friends
This Mandela Day, the Cape of Good Hope SPCA is calling on you to help them build 67 kennels which will be delivered to local communities in need of shelter for their pets this winter. To lend a hand (as well as hammers, nails, and paint) at the Cape of Good Hope SPCA in Grassy Park, email [email protected] so that you can be added to the list. The Kennel Drive will take place on Mandela Day from 9am-5pm. Or, if you’re not great with craft projects, you can donate R500 which will help fund a kennel.
If you can’t get to an SPCA, here some of their suggestions of how you can help South Africa’s fur babies:
- Offer to take a dog or two for a walk
- Drop off dog or cat food at your animal care centres near you
- Buy cosy blankets and donate to dogs in need
- Sign up for a monthly donation of R150 to the SPCA. For more info, call 021 700 4168
- Unable to give time or money right now but love animals? Adding a donation to your will could help the SPCA in the future!
If you’re not in Cape Town and want to help the SPCA in your area, here are some more details about what SPCAs around the countries are doing. Click on each link to find out more.
- SPCA Randburg – Has 16 kennels that are in need of repair. To find out what you need you can help with, click here to visit their Facebook page.
- SPCA Tshwane – There isn’t a specific Mandela Day campaign but there is an ongoing drive to get people to sponsor a kennel for a precious dog or cat for as little as R200 per month.
- National SPCA – If you’re not in Cape Town, Joburg or Pretoria then you can show your support of the excellent work the SPCA does by donating to the National Council of SPCAs.
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5. Keep a girl in school
The Nelson Mandela Foundation’s Trek4Mandela is a fundraising initiative that will see many inspiring South Africans summit Kilimanjaro on Mandela Day. Don’t worry – we’re not expecting you to climb a giant mountain, but if you really want to, you can join the 2020 trek here – the initiative is a fundraising one that hopes to raise enough money to ensure that 500 000 schoolgirls won’t miss a day of school by providing adequate access to sanitary pads.
All you need to do to get involved is to pledge R30 to support the girls and climbers by sms’ing ‘GIRLCHILD’ to 42513. Donations can also be made online at trek4mandela.com.
6. Help save sick kids
The Children’s Hospital Trust is a non-profit organisation that looks after sick kids at the Red Cross Children’s Hospital – most of whom come from exceptionally poor communities. They do amazing work and the donations received are used towards the projects and programs that the hospital funds. Spend some time reading the stories about the children, parents and families that they help and you can’t help but feel a lump in your throat.
They are celebrating Madiba’s love for children by encouraging companies to donate their website’s homepage for 67 minutes this Mandela Day.
7. Help create and fill care packages for rape survivors
Support Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust this Mandela Day by volunteering or donating funds. The Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust has supported 9015 survivors in some way or other over the last year.
Visit rapecrisis.org.za to find out more about how exactly you can volunteer your time or to make a monetary donation.
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8. Help save a life
The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) provide crucial mental health support to hundreds of South Africans on a daily basis. Did you know that every day South Africa sees 23 completed suicides and 460 attempted suicides? It is truly heartbreaking to think about. But SADAG is giving you a way to help this Mandela Day by asking for small donations. The raised funds will go towards call costs, a speaking book for the youth as well as training of community members in rural areas. Here’s a breakdown of the kind of donations you can make:
- R50 will cover the call costs for 5 people trying to get hold of the Toll-Free Crisis Helpline.
- R100 will help them post 25 brouchures to people contacting the Helpline. Giving those in need the chance to read a information packs on the mental health problems they’re seeking help with.
- R500 will allow SADAG to print more brochures.
- R1 000 will help train more counsellors for the Helpline. Which will give more people access to mental health care that they otherwise wouldn’t be able to benefit from.
- R8 000 will cover the cost of one School Talk Teen Suicide Prevention.
