What you can do on Mandela Day

OWN CORRESPONDENT

MANDELA DAY CUPCAKES

UJW JOHANNESBURG’S MANDELA DAY CUPCAKE APPEAL

The Union of Jewish Women Johannesburg will be spending two days preparing for Mandela Day, with the aim of distributing more than 2 000 cupcakes to homes for the elderly, hospitals and children’s homes.

Volunteers are invited to attend an ice-a-thon at Norwood Mall on Monday, 16 July. It will be held throughout the day, and you can make cards to go with each of the cupcakes. These cupcakes will then be individually packed and sent out with volunteers over the course of Tuesday and Wednesday.

You can get involved by either donating un-iced cupcakes by this Sunday, 15 July, by making a monetary donation towards the ingredients or by attending the ice-a-thon at Norwood Mall.

Pre-registration is required for the ice-a-thon and a suggested donation of R10 per person is requested. Please call 011 648 1053 for more information.

LUNCHBOXES FOR THE NEEDY

Yad Aharon & Michael’s Mandela Day project is called Ohr Natanel, which is a school lunch box project aiming to provide 220 Jewish children with school lunch box snacks and healthy treats. The recipients’ parents rely on Yad Aharon & Michael for their families’ nutritional well-being throughout the year.

Come and help pack healthy lunch boxes at 21 Main Road, Rouxville from 09:00 on 19 July, the day after Mandela Day. Bring along a chesed mate or two, knowing that this will go a long way in helping children get through the school day. Donors are also welcome to contribute R270, which sponsors a child for a month. Contact Jody on 011 485 2076 for more information.

CODING AND LEARNING

ORT South Africa, in partnership with the Sage Foundation, will be hosting a Mandela Day event at the Curtis Nkondo School of Specialisation in the heart of Soweto, where ORT SA runs one of its Coding Clubs as an extramural activity.

Taking a cue from Mandela’s quote, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart”, volunteers and ORT SA staff will be interacting with pupils in their classrooms in a fun way. They will touch on topics such as Learning to Listen and Empathy, which are crucial skills for young individuals who are developing not only their IQ but also their EQ.

Drawing, sports and lunch will also be incorporated into the event. All volunteers are welcome and should contact Marcelle on 084 355 0826 for details on what they can contribute to the day.

MAKEOVER MAGIC

King David Linksfield School’s Mandela Day project – in conjunction with parent organisations and the Linksfield-Senderwood Hebrew Congregation – is giving back to the 130 SkeemSaam Urban Mine Workers, who recycle the city’s waste, with a full-on makeover.

On Sunday, 22 July “makeover stations” will be set up for these people, who sort through all our rubbish bins, collecting recyclable items and selling them in order to make money to support their families. Their work reduces landfills and helps to preserve our environment.

The aim of this project is to give each of the men the small things in life that we take for granted.

Each person will get a hot shower in mobile shower vans. They will also get a haircut and a shave.

They will then be treated to a braai and will be given clothing packs.

At the event, recycle bins will be on sale, with the proceeds going to the SkeemSaam Urban Mine Workers.

King David is requesting that the community collect blankets and clothes for this worthy cause.

Donations are welcome as well as clothing for men, women and children.

For details please contact Lee-Ann Jackson at 082 820 3017 or Melaney Maloon at 082 785 7674.

KIDDIES HOSPITAL PARTY

Little Givers are providing a party for children at the Surgeons for Little Lives clinic at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Johannesburg. It takes place on Mandela Day from 10:00 to 12:00.

And in Cape Town that day, primary school kids are joining the Chief Rabbi at Afrika Tikkun’s Zolile Malindi Community Centre from 10:00 to 11:30.

To join in or donate goodies, email info@thechiefrabbi.co.za.

YOGA AND FUN FOR R67

On Sunday, 15 July, The Mensch Network and Earthchild Project will host a fabulous Mandela Day which will include fun activities such as yoga, kids games, Dani Dreidel scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, an African dance class, a robotics workshop, a cook-a-thon and a storytelling workshop. There’ll also be a knit-a-thon. You can also attend various talks, including one by journalist and producer Lisa Chait, who will be interviewed by Dr Orly Stern on the topic, “A Woman’s Journey – From Cape Town to Iraq to Nigeria”. Dr Adam Mendelsohn will speak on the topic, “Jews and Social Justice – what role have Jewish values played?” There’ll also be a film launch and panel discussion with US academic and prison reform activist Dr Baz Dreisinger on the topic, “The reality of incarceration in SA and how education can help”.

Bring your R67 activity ticket donation, which will help Earthchild Project deliver yoga to disadvantaged kids all year round.

Book on Quicket: QKT.10/MANDELA-DAY. Your identity and purchased ticket will be required to gain entry.

At the same event, Mensch Network and Bnot Zion WIZO Cape Town are holding a knit-a-thon from 11:00 to 14:00. Join in the fun while doing good as you knit for the children of Bulelani Creche in Delft. There is no charge, but please book a ticket on Quicket using the same link as above: QKT.10/MANDELA-DAY. For more details, email jodi@mensch.org.za.