67 Minutes on Mandela Day 18 July 2009

Former president, struggle hero and one of the world's most-celebrated political icons, Nelson Mandela, turns 91 on Saturday.

In his State of the Nation Address earlier this year, President Jacob Zuma outlined plans to commemorate the political life of the Nobel Prize laureate. Zuma's call was for all South Africans to dedicate 67 minutes of their time to service of others on Mandela's birthday. Each minute represents a year of Mandela's life spent fighting for freedom and justice in South Africa. How will you spend your 67 minutes on Mandela Day?

The CHRA plans to visit a safe house in Crawford on Saturday, 18th July. The Place of Hope is a sanctuary for women and children who have escaped violent and abusive domestic situations. They currently house about 30 women and 30 children [ranging between the ages of 3 months to 6 years, with a handful of pre-teens.]

The building is in a state of disrepair and at the moment the greatest need is to fix a leak in the ceiling above the dining room. The children walk into the dining room and get drenched. They change blankets and buckets on the floor at least every 30 minutes. The leaky pipe is like a gushing tap and is clearly visible as the ceiling boards have disintegrated due to the water. The centre does not have any finance to fix the problem and we are appealing to the residents to come forward and assist us in fixing this leak and supply materials to do this.

We are also aware of other areas in the centre where we can help better their living environment:
*spring cleaning the crèche
*painting of kitchen cupboards
*cleaning grounds of rubble and driving it away
*adopt a room program [ask me more about this]

In addition to this, if you have any of the following items that you’d like to donate:
*soil and plants for vegetable and herb garden
*crockery and cutlery
*tea towels
*big pot and big colander
*sand for the sandbox and a cover for the sandpit
*a computer that works
*copy paper
*providing dry goods for their pantry – they feed homeless people from the area every Thursday providing soup between 1 and 2 pm.
*toiletries for women and children
*toilet rolls

We are planning this for 1.30pm, but if you can’t make it then but still would like to help, please respond because we can arrange staggered timed help.

Community involvement and upliftment has always been a part of what CHRA stands for. Please give 67 minutes of your time and expertise on Saturday to assist us.

On behalf of the CHRA, I will be coordinating this project and ask that you email or phone me with the specifications of how you can assist us.

I look forward to hearing from you.