An iconic figure in South Africa, Nelson Mandela has been an inspiration not only to South Africans but to the whole world. He has had the ability to move people’s hearts and minds and motivate each one of us to do more for each other and within our communities.
One such day is Mandela Day, 18th July. The Barker Insurance Brokers team did their 67 minutes by starting off the day ‘holding hands’ in conjunction with the “Hands Across SA” initiative. “Hands Across SA” encouraged all South African’s to stop what they were doing no matter where they were and hold hands for 67sec at 8:45am on Mandela Day. As part of a small tribute, the team held hands and listened to the Soweto Gospel Choir as they sang their tribute to Madiba live on the Gareth Cliff morning show on 5fm.
Team work was the order of the second initiative of the day as we made sandwiches and set off to deliver the food parcels to Meals On Wheels. Meals on Wheels are a Non-Profit Organisation that have supported the frail & elderly since 1964 with nutritious meals worldwide. However, Meals On Wheels has extended its services beyond feeding the elderly and with over 1000 volunteers in South Africa approximately 3 million meals are prepared per annum.
Extremely organized amidst the chaos, we arrived and simply slotted in to assist where we could – from preparing the salads and rice to serving the hot meals in their containers! We soon felt part of a greater purpose and realized the importance and value of feeding the hungry.
Mandela Day is not simply a celebration of a wonderful leader in our country but of our role in humanity and the joy and fulfilment of reaching out to each other.