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Give your ‘67 minutes’ in honour of Nelson Mandela

Give your ‘67 minutes’ in honour of Nelson Mandela

Celebrate the birthday of Nelson Mandela this Friday (18 July 2014) and heed the global call from the United Nations, for people from South Africa and around the world to devote 67 minutes of their time to helping others, as a way to honour his life’s work and mark the day.

Nelson Mandela International Day came about in November 2009, the UN General Assembly declared 18 July ‘Nelson Mandela International Day’ in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom. So by devoting 67 minutes of your time, people can make a small gesture of solidarity with humanity and a step towards a global movement for good.

Individuals, corporate companies and groups are challenged to give 67 minutes of their time – to take action to change the world for the better. For 67 years Nelson Mandela devoted his life to the service of humanity — as a human rights lawyer, a prisoner, an international peacemaker and the first democratically elected president of a free South Africa.
DUT students are inspired by the personal sacrifices that were made by Nelson Mandela and will be contributing to his legacy, by giving their ‘67 minutes’ and doing their ‘small bit’ on Nelson Mandela Day.

DUT’s second-year Office Management and Technology student, Sboniso Thusi, is definitely going to do his part in honouring the day.“I will be helping new students who are here to register at DUT. I will also be showing them their classes and I believe all other students should help whether it is here at campus or around their suburbs. We need to keep the Mandela legacy alive,” he said.

Themba Mbhele, who is currently studying for a Masters in Business Administration , says helping the elderly is his goal for the day. “There is an elderly lady who has lived by herself since her son passed away. She is 84 years old. My sisters and I have decided that we will spend our 67 minutes cleaning her garden and house. It is important to remember what the late president stood for; he believed in change and treating other people in a better and humane way.”

Megalyn Govender, a tutor at DUT’s Writing Centre, will be helping out in her community. “I stay in Malvern and there is an impoverished community called Burlington nearby. Recently, my organisation and I have been working towards bettering their lives. We try to ensure that there is water, food and sanitation. So, we will go to the crèche and look at ways to upgrade it. We are planning to paint the walls, fix doors or put up pictures for the children. We will also try to play with the children and just listen to them.”

The general consensus from students are that by becoming a ‘Mandela Day’ change-maker and doing something that affects positive change every day, everyone can show that actions speak louder than words. For those who wish to help out, here are some things you can do to take action and inspire change:

• Make a new friend. Get to know someone from a different cultural background.
• Visit a local home for the blind and open up a new world for someone else.
• Help out at the local animal shelter. Dogs without homes still need a walk and a bit of love.
• Help someone get a job. Put together and print a CV for them, or help them with their interview skills.
• Many terminally ill people have no one to speak to. Take a little time to have a chat and bring some happiness into their lives.
• Get tested for HIV/AIDS and encourage your partner to do so too.
• Donate a wheelchair or guide dog, to someone in need.
• Buy a few blankets and give to someone in need.

To find out about volunteer opportunities or pledge some of your time, go to www.mandeladay.com

– Philiswa Xulu

Pictured: DUT’s second-year Office Management and Technology student, Sboniso Thusi, is all set to do his 67 minutes for Nelson Mandela International Day.

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