Category: DONATION

CHARITYDONATION

Nelson Mandela Month 2024

“It is still in your hands to combat poverty and inequity.” – Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela Day is a global event celebrated every July 18th to honour Nelson Mandela’s life and enduring legacy. It is a call for individuals, communities, and organizations to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to take meaningful actions that benefit their communities. The South African government now officially recognised Nelson Mandela Month, running throughout July every year.

Originally, Nelson Mandela Day was widely recognized for its slogan, “67 Minutes of Service.” But do you know the story behind this slogan and why it was eventually changed? In 2009, it was observed that Nelson Mandela dedicated 67 years of his life to the fight for social justice—through his activism, imprisonment, and presidency. However, it was later calculated that Mandela had actually spent 65 years championing social justice since joining the ANC in 1944. Despite this error, the 67 Minutes campaign became a global phenomenon and a central aspect of Nelson Mandela International Day.

The “67 Minutes of Service” initiative led to several significant campaigns, including Carolyn Steyn’s 67 Blankets project and the creation of Mandela Day Libraries throughout South Africa. The goal was to motivate people to participate in short-term, action-focused projects for their communities, such as painting schools, cleaning streets, and preparing meals. Nonetheless, the initiative faced criticism for encouraging brief, one-off charitable acts rather than fostering sustainable, long-term change. This highlighted the need for ongoing, collaborative efforts to truly honour Mandela’s legacy.

In 2011, the Nelson Mandela Foundation introduced a new slogan: “Make Every Day a Mandela Day.” The new initiative seeks to inspire individuals to uphold Mandela’s values throughout the entire year, aiming to turn Nelson Mandela Day from a single day of observance into a continuous global movement for social justice. Over time, we have come to recognize that even short-term activities like cleanups and school renovations can have lasting impacts by bringing communities together, raising awareness, and advancing social justice goals.

Here are eight ways you can make a difference today:

  1. Support Social Justice Organizations: Donate to underfunded NGOs in South Africa that do vital work, such as Eyes2Eyes.
  2. Promote the Campaign: Increase the visibility of Nelson Mandela Day by engaging with posts online, sharing updates, and using relevant hashtags.
  3. Donate Food to the Homeless: Address South Africa’s homelessness crisis by providing food to those in need.
  4. Give to Orphanages: Contribute old bedding, clothes, and toys to orphanages, which often lack essential resources.
  5. Start a Community Garden: Help establish or support a community garden, or donate trees to provide fresh food and clean air to local areas.
  6. Participate in Clean-Ups: Join or organize street or beach clean-up efforts to benefit the environment and foster community pride.
  7. Collect Sanitary Towels: Organize a collection of sanitary products for disadvantaged women and girls, or participate in a local collection drive.
  8. Engage with Your Community: Connect with people in your community whom you wouldn’t normally interact with, spreading positivity and goodwill.

Share your contributions and those of others on social media using the hashtags #ItIsStillInYourHands and #MandelaDay2024.

Embrace every day as an opportunity to combat poverty and inequality in a sustainable manner.

Content reference: https://www.mandeladay.com

Image source: South African Government. https://www.gov.za/NelsonMandelaMonth2024

CLIENTSCORNEADONATIONEYECAREHEALTH PROMOTION

World Keratoconus Day (November 10th) 2023

Keratoconus (KC), covered in depth in our earlier blog post, is an uncommon degenerative eye condition characterised by the progressive thinning of the normally round and dome-shaped cornea. The thinning results in the formation of a cone-like bulge, typically at the centre of the cornea. If left untreated, Keratoconus can lead to significant visual impairment and potential legal blindness. The condition typically starts in adolescence or early adulthood. While the precise cause of keratoconus remains unknown, experts believe it arises from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Various sources suggest an association between long-term eye rubbing and the development of Keratoconus, as it may change the shape of the front of the eye.

World Keratoconus Day serves as an initiative aimed at increasing awareness, providing education, and offering support to individuals living with keratoconus and their families. It instills hope for those grappling with the challenges posed by this debilitating condition. Many affected individuals, often young, find their lives significantly impacted by severe visual impairment or blindness. Unfortunately, the solution to their condition is underfunded in the public healthcare system in South Africa. This invisible disability takes a tragic toll on various aspects of life, affecting education, employment, and mental health.

The Eyes2Eyes Foundation launched a custom design Scleral Lens Programme at the Groote Schuur Cornea Clinic in June 2021. 90 young patients diagnosed with advanced keratoconus joined our programme in 16 months. A total of 102 scleral lenses have been funded for disadvantaged patients with advanced keratoconus. Scleral lenses are precision custom lenses that smoothen the optical surface to reduce the irregularities of the corneal surface. Eyes2Eyes has established a strong team of skilled professionals in South Africa and New Zealand, dedicated to world class care for patients in the Western Cape.

How can I help – right now?

  • Donation to Eyes2Eyes to continue supporting the Scleral Lens Programme. Photos of the clients that we have supported can be found on our social media channels, especially our Eyes2Eyes Instagram Page
  • Peruse the World KC Day Toolkit from the National Keratoconus Foundation (United States) and raise awareness of the condition through social media channels
  • If you are living and affected with Keratoconus, enter the “Keratoconus & Me” photo competition run by the National Keratoconus Foundation (United States)

More information on Keratoconus can be found at the following link: https://nkcf.org/understanding-kc/

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