Nelson Mandela International Day launch
Author: riaan@wecanchange.co.za
Nelson Mandela inaugurated Nelson Mandela Int. Day in 2009 as a response to what he saw as a global crisis of poverty and inequality. Covid-19 has brutally exposed the inequality in most societies and has thrust the world deeper into a crisis of poverty.
Here in South Africa, thousands of people are starving. This is why we have set up Each1Feed1 in partnership with the Siya Kolisi Foundation and the Imbumba Foundation. For us it is a core Mandela Day programme.
Emergency relief is a priority, but we need to be thinking about longer term needs too. Food security as a broader challenge. The need for more small-scale growers and school growers and home growers. The need for public policy changes. The need to explore other ways of enabling people to source food. Parcel delivery has its challenges and inherent weaknesses.
Last year, we launched Mandela Day: The Next Chapter which focuses on 5 focus areas: Shelter, Education, Food & Nutrition, Sanitation and Active Citizenry. This Mandela Day, we are asking that we give special focus on Food & Nutrition as well as Education and Sanitation. In your organisations, your workplaces, your families and in your private capacities, we ask that we all support a family this Mandela Day as we work towards eradicating hunger and food insecurity.
Considering the current global health pandemic, we discourage people from undertaking activities which could spread the virus. We urge everyone to follow social distancing and other practices designed to protect people. Nonetheless, as Madiba did in 2009, we urge everyone to respond to the immediate needs within their communities and to make Mandela Day 2020 a special one.
#ActionAgainstPoverty
Take Action. Inspire Change. Make Every Day A Mandela Day.
MandelaDay.com