Take action, inspire change, and make every day a Mandela Day – is more important than ever before.
In a time where the world has lost so much the underpinning message of Mandela Day speaks true. Through Each1 Feed1 we have travelled most of South Africa and have met people who have built hope in their communities and make a difference despite their hardships. Amongst the midst of the troubles, we have seen income lose and the despair of losing family members. South Africans and many people around the world have chosen to be a solution and inspire change.
The inspiring story is in Hhoyi, a small village in Mpumalanga, where a community came together and tried to build a house for an old lady.
They gave hope of compassion to a lady abandoned by her family and left to survive in a small shack with little to no assistance. Her sad story took a turn for the better when the community members saw her living conditions and decided to build her a house. The community spirit and passion were stopped in their tracks by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the four walls stayed with no roof, no doors or windows. Gogo Khoza continued to remain in her shack.
The traditional leadership of Hhoyi village with local businesses got involved in finding a solution for her. We are reaching out to all who can help donate building material and labour to give dignity to
someone who needs help. Equally inspired by the Nelson Mandela Foundation institutional values of service, and compassion, the Mandela Day Team has taken up the task to coordinate the completion of this house with local assistance.
The living conditions of the old lady are not unique. We met two young boys living on their own in a one-room house on our next home visit. Their parents passed away, and they were left to fend for themselves. The question of balancing school, being a child and being an adult was not one with which any of us were prepared to contend. This is another tragic reality that faces many, but we have met this family.
Could we have just left knowing that the Each1Feed1 Food Pack was adequate relief but not enough? Could we just think there is so many to help? Why these beneficiaries?
SERVICE and COMPASSION cannot answer these questions, but a collective compassionate
community action can make a difference. We have learnt that taking action is not easy, and it takes time, but SERVICE and COMPASSION compels you to start something that makes a difference. The call to action for change needs one to find the best way to be part of the solution while giving dignity and hope.
These two stories are familiar to the over a thousand families of Hhoyi, KwaZulu-Natal and the Mayfield township that received Each1 Feed1 food packs. Taking action and making a difference every day to inspire impactful change is the most human thing we can all do. Mandela Day hopes to
make this call everywhere we go and to everyone who listens.
The traditional leadership of Hhoyi village with local businesses got involved to find a solution for her. Reaching out to all who can help to donate building material and labour to give dignity to someone who need help. Equally inspire by the Nelson Mandela Foundation institutional values of SERVICE and Compassion Mandela Day Team have taken up the task to coordinate the completion of this house with local assistance.
The living conditions of the old lady is not unique, on our next home visit we met two young boys living on their own in a one room house. Their parents passed away and were left fend for themselves. The question of balancing school, being a child and being an adult was not one any of us were prepared to contend with. Imagine any 17 and 8 years old boys you know living by themselves and have no adult supervision. This is another tragic reality that faces many, but we have met this family. Could we have just left knowing that the Each1Feed1 Food Pack was good relief but not enough? Could we just think there is so many to help, why these ones? SERVICE and COMPASSION cannot answer these questions but a collective compassionate community action can do something to make a difference.
We have learnt that taking action is not easy and it takes time but SERVICE and COMPASSION compels you to start something that makes a difference. The call to act for change needs one to find the best way to be part of the solution while giving dignity and hope. These two stories are common to the over 1 000 families of Hhoyi, KwaZulu-Natal and the Mayfield township that received Each1 Feed1 Food packs and we met.
Taking action and making a difference every day to inspire impactful change every day is the most human thing we can all do. Mandela Day hopes to make this call everywhere we go and to everyone who listens.