On 18 July every year, people across the globe celebrate Nelson Mandela International Day (Mandela Day) by making a difference in their communities. The day was officially declared by the UN General Assembly in November 2009, in recognition of the former South African President’s contribution to the culture of peace and freedom.
In honour of the day, we are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes – one minute for every year Mandela spent in service to others – doing good and serving those in need. The celebration of Mandela Day aims to serve as a global call to action for people to recognise their individual power to make a difference and help change the world around them for the better.
In celebration of Mandela Day and the iconic leader’s passion for building better communities, the ERG Africa and SABOT teams in South Africa honoured the call to take action and inspire change by proudly supporting The Johannesburg Children’s Home. The Home, established in 1892, is a Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) which provides a home for up to 64 children who have been found in need of care by the Children’s Court.
Playing their part, our teams prepared and donated school lunches and lunchboxes, conducted maintenance work at the home and ran a clothing and toy donation drive for the children. This initiative and all of ERG Africa’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives align with two our corporate Values – Development and Responsibility.
Speaking on Mandela Day, Sergei Verbitckii, ERG Africa’s Acting CEO highlighted, “I am proud of the role that ERG Africa plays on an ongoing basis to empower and uplift the communities alongside which we operate. While the tradition to dedicate 67 minutes to community service on Mandela Day is predominantly observed in South Africa, everyone can play their part wherever they are, in any way they can.”
“This year’s theme – Do what you can, with what you have, where you are – is a reminder that we can all make a difference. It may be helping a colleague in or outside the workplace, volunteering your time, making a donation, or simply going the extra mile for someone else. No matter how small your action, Mandela Day is about changing the world for the better. Even small acts of generosity and kindness – once compounded – make a great difference,” he added.