Make everyday a Mandela Day -#itisinyourhands

This was the motto of this year’s Mandel Day.

Mandela Day is an annual global celebration that takes place on 18 July to honour the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. This day is a call to action for individuals, communities, and organisations to take time to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact in their own communities.

I am always amazed to see and read afterwards how NGO’s, politicians and ordinary people are coming together – and even trying to set world records in how much food they have given out and how much soup was distributed.

I see the pictures of smiling kids paraded in front of pots and food and toys …

And I feel uneasy – year after year more – asking myself whether “to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact in their own communities” are really translate in hand outs for 67 minutes year after year.

Making a positive impact in a community – is that not more than hand-outs? Does the feel-good-hand-out time with certainly all the good intentions really make a difference in the lives of those who benefit, or is it not a quick pass by of receiving but really not changing the lives of people?

Impact should mean change for the long run – so how can we transform a charity event into a contribution to real development – impact which means real change in the lives of people and communities…

Any suggestions?

Filed under: Africa, Networking, Politics and Society, Reflection, Religion and Ethics, Society and living environment, South Africa, Uncategorized, Africa, charity, development, HOPE Cape Town, HOPE Cape Town Association & Trust, Mandela, Mandela Day, south africa