Mandela Month charity drive uplifts Ekurhuleni residents
Residents benefited from donations, hygiene education and youth-focused activities during EYA's second annual Mandela Month charity event.
Mandela Month continues to inspire acts of kindness across the board, with local NPO Ekurhuleni Young Ambitious (EYA) hosting its second annual Mandela Month charity event.
The initiative was held in partnership with African Transformation Movement (ATM), Tays Cleaning, V and V Creations and several other community partners, who came together to uplift residents through donations, education and entertainment.
Community members received hygiene education, while ATM donated clothing to benefit vulnerable residents. Cleaning products were also distributed to attendees through the organisation’s partners in the Marathon Informal Settlement event.
ALSO READ: Better Primrose volunteers clean and restore community for Mandela Day
Speaking to EYA, founder Njabulo Bam said the event was organised to carry forward the legacy of former President Nelson Mandela by serving those in need.
“The community was actively involved throughout the day and also received cleaning products from our partners,” said Bam.
“The issue of hygiene is a serious one, especially for people living in informal settlements. We also provided pizza slices to attendees, thanks to one of our sponsors, Romans Pizza.”
The event featured games, music and dance performances, with one of EYA’s performance groups earning an invitation to perform at an upcoming Women’s Month event.
Beyond the Mandela Month celebrations, the organisation recently took a group of young people on an educational tour of OR Tambo International Airport as part of its aviation career exposure programme.
Bam said the visit was aimed at introducing young people to career opportunities within the aviation industry.
ALSO READ: WATCH: Crusaders and bowling club mark Mandela Day with SPCA donation
“We want our young people to become familiar with aviation-related careers. Next time, we hope they will even have the opportunity to board an aircraft, even if it is stationary,” he said.
EYA is planning to host a Heritage Month cultural event in September, where young people will be exposed to different cultural traditions through music, dance and performances.
The organisation also plans to recognise outstanding young people with medals, trophies and certificates to encourage positive behaviour and community involvement.
“We want to inspire young people to continue doing good and to stay away from social ills,” Bam said.
