Former South African President, Nobel laureate and anti-apartheid revolutionary Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared the date of his birth Nelson Mandela Day. This day is recognised and celebrated annually by all who are willing to spare 67 minutes of their day to make a difference. The 67 minutes represent the number of years Mandela spent fighting against the apartheid system and for the recognition of human rights.

Since the passing of Mandela in 2013, this day has become an opportunity for people to not only keep the legacy of Mandela alive, but to also give back to their communities. Mandela Day is celebrated in more than 140 countries, with thousands of people participating in some form of volunteering and charity. Some of the projects launched in the past few years include the Mandela Digital Learning Project, which has more than 67 million educational videos on various topics available on YouTube, the Mandela Day School Library project, which converts containers into libraries for schools and the FoodForward SA initiative, which annually provides meals to millions of people.

The main focus areas for Mandela Day over the next decade are education and literacy, food and nutrition, shelter, sanitation and active citizenship. In both 2020 and 2021, projects targeting food and nutrition became especially important due to the ongoing rise in COVID-19 infections and the associated government restrictions with their unintended effect on the poverty levels of South Africans. In 2020, 46% of adults admitted that they and their children had to go hungry due to a loss of income caused by the pandemic. While 2020 saw the launch of the Each 1 Feed 1 campaign, the theme for this year is ‘One hand can feed another’, which is a continuation of the campaign against hunger and poverty.

Despite the current COVID-19 restrictions in place in South Africa and around the world, there are a number of causes in which you can safely participate to make a difference on this year’s Mandela Day. Some activities may not take 67 minutes to complete, but the effects will last much longer. A donation to the Each 1 Feed 1 campaign can, for example, support a family for up to three months. This initiative, aimed at raising R500 000, has so far raised R387 263. Since not everyone is able to donate money, particularly during these trying times, an alternative could be to ask colleagues, family and friends to donate canned foods for distribution to people in need. Other ways to participate in the annual celebration is to mobilise people to clean up their neighbourhoods, make sandwiches or prepare food for the homeless. You could also register as an organ donor, plant a tree, or donate clothing, food or books. Many charities and NPOs also organise their own Mandela Day events to raise funds and promote awareness of their activities.

Mandela argued that overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity, it is an act of justice and the protection of the fundamental human right to dignity and a decent life. He argued that while poverty persists, there can be no true freedom—an ideal for which he was prepared to die. South Africa has a population of 58.56 million, based on 2019 statistics, and Mandela believed that a collective effort was required to solve the country’s social problems. Even if only a fraction of the population can spare 67 minutes to help others on 18 July, the impact will be significant and the legacy of a global icon will be honoured. #ActionAgainstPoverty is one of the many actions that demonstrate the values that Mandela lived by and encouraged in others.

Ultimately, regardless of which cause a person decides to support, what matters is that people are prepared to spend 67 minutes of the day to give back to those who do not yet share in some of the basic rights that many of us take for granted. In honour of the remarkable efforts made by former President Nelson Mandela and in the spirit of ubuntu—the awareness that we are all linked to one another and can only achieve success because we care for those living among us—we should all participate in the efforts to bring about true freedom in our society.

To find out how you can help, visit the Mandela Day website here, or enquire about what your local charity organisations are doing.