Nelson Mandela International Day 2020

Each year on 18 July, South Africans and people around the world celebrate Mandela Day, in honour of the late Nelson Mandela. It is a global call to action that reminds us that we each have the power to make this world a better place.

Nelson Mandela fought for social justice for 67 years. On Mandela Day, people set aside 67 minutes to do community service and to fight poverty, in commemoration of Mandela’s struggle.

2020 has been an incredibly challenging year for the world with Covid-19 affecting the lives of so many. The people most affected by this pandemic have been those in vulnerable communities.

South Africa is still in level 3 lockdown and social distancing is particularly important at present as we are in the peak of the virus. However, this did not stop the nation from celebrating Mandela Day by performing acts of kindness in vulnerable communities.

At Hope to Heal Foundation, every day is Mandela Day. Our team works 365 days a year to help survivors affected by crimes of circumstance and crisis.

Due to challenges in raising funds for food hampers at the Belhar Community Support Centre in the Western Cape, we started a feeding programme to stave off the hunger. We have served over 100 000 meals since April 2020. This is their only meal for the day and this community is hard hit with high unemployment.

The programme is managed in a holistic manner whereby in addition to providing food, we identify child abuse or neglect, gender-based violence, substance abuse and get survivors help.

To mark the day, management and team in Belhar provided a special meal and handed out books to the children. The community also received clothing. Each Volunteers received a food hampers. 

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