Every year on 18 July, people in South Africa and elsewhere around the world celebrate Madiba’s birthday by doing something for others, for 67 minutes. At XtraSpace, our teams in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban got busy.
Every year on 18 July, people in South Africa and elsewhere around the world celebrate Madiba’s birthday by doing something for others, for 67 minutes. At XtraSpace, our teams in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban got busy.
Our Jo’burg team at Irene Homes
In Johannesburg, our team headed for Irene Homes, which is a home in Pretoria for the mentally disabled. With us, we took all the goods we’d spent the previous weeks collecting, to donate to the home – among other things, around 700 balls of wool, 16 panels heaters, beading goodies to make crafts, paint, 42 pillows, socks, party packs, colouring books, toiletries and gift bags.
Some of the goods donated to Irene Homes
On the day itself, the focus was on giving the girls and ladies at the home some fun. We started off by having some cake and tea, and then played games, from croquet and ten-pin bowling to searching for treats in a bucket of balls. Our XtraSpace staff had just as much fun as the Irene Homes residents.
Games and plenty of fun at Irene Homes
We were so touched when the ladies from Irene Homes made us all key rings, with inspiring verses from the Bible. We ended off a good day with a song from the ladies at the home, before heading back to the office.
Everyone at Irene Homes
The Cape Town team: hot soup for 400
Our XtraSpace Cape Town team got a head start on Mandela Day this year, making litre upon litre of soup and freezing batches in the week leading up to 18 July.
Large-scale soup making in Cape Town
On the day, it was all hands on deck and members of the team were up before the sun, ready to offer hot soup to anyone in the Mother City in need of warmth and nourishment.
The Cape Town team, up bright and early
We’re proud that by the end of the day, the team had fed 400 people.
Our Durban team: trampolines for kids
For Mandela Day, XtraSpace Durban turned its attention to kids who could use more fun in their lives. The team purchased and set up trampolines for the 81 children at Mother of Peace Illovo, an orphanage that does an outstanding job of caring for a community of children who have been abandoned, orphaned or abused.
A day of fun: the kids at Mother of Peace Illovo
As you can see, XtraSpace Durban tested out the fun first before handing it over!
Our Durban Central branch manager, testing out the trampolines