Are you still at a loss for how you will spend your 67 minutes/ or R67 in honour of Madiba’s birthday on 18 July? Looking for something that will be impactful beyond the day – something that will make a difference? This year’s theme is “Climate, Food and Solidarity” and the call to action is “It is in your hands.”
Need ideas? We have a few ideas for you on what you can do for Mandela Day this year. Make the effort you put in – or the money you donate – have the biggest impact as you Build for Better.
Or plant seeds and nurture them to the seedling stage and then donate them. Community projects such as the Made for More Amahlongwa would love your seedlings. The project helps community members living with disabilities to grow food for their families. Excess produce is sold for the agripreneurs, helping to build self-sustaining families.
Afrika Tikkun offers Agripreneurship programmes at a number of their centres in Gauteng. Training youth on how to establish urban gardens, and grow fresh produce to eat and sell helps improve nutrition and support sustainable food security at the community level. Based in Durban? Take a look at the guerilla gardening project on the Build for Better website for inspiration.
Get your company or friends on board and donate a water storage tank that can be used to harvest rainwater from the roof of the charity you support or connected to a borehole to supply water for the gardens during low rainfall seasons. SBS Tanks has a range of tanks from 7000 litres that can be used for irrigation or backup water storage.
Are you an educator? Or do you have children? Why not set up a community garden at your local school? Get the children involved with preparing the soil, planting and nurturing the seedlings. If you need help, sign up for training with an organisation that has done this before. Soil for Life offers hands-on training for people of all ages in Cape Town, South Africa and has volunteer opportunities for community garden enthusiasts.
Not in Cape Town but need to upskill? Do an online course to gain skills in community gardening, or even home-based gardening, grow produce and share with needy communities.
Plant fruit trees in your garden to overhang the fence line for passersby to enjoy, or for you to pick and share with local projects. Find out which trees fruit the quickest and thrive in local conditions. Consider installing a rainwater harvesting tank from SBS Tanks to store water from your rooftop to be used to water the trees as they grow. Email info@sbstanks.co.za to find out more.
Chat to your local councillor about planting fruit trees somewhere that they can be enjoyed for shade and fruit in the future. Find out if there is a local organisation that you can assist in some way. What about fundraising for water storage tanks or a solar energy solution to reduce costs and make the organisation self-sufficient? Email: info@sbsenergy.co.za to find out about our renewable energy solutions.
Get involved with projects that protect the waterways such as Hennops River Revival or LitterBoom project, or commit to the monthly beach clean-ups at Pirates Lifesaving Club. By clearing litter you are protecting the rivers, oceans and improving the quality of the water for the fish living in it, for drinking or agriculture. Contact Youth With a Mission (YWAM) and find out how you can support their programmes that help youth in your area, while also giving back.
There are many other ways you can get involved or support Mandela Day 2023.
If you haven’t been involved in Mandela Day in the past, this year is the ideal year to get involved and make a positive impact in your own community and #BuildforBetter. Mandela Day 2023, held on Nelson Mandela’s birthday 18 July, will be the 10th year of the annual global celebration to honour his legacy.
Visit the Build for Better Initiative to find a project that captures your heart and makes you want to Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
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