2012 is shaping up to be the biggest Mandela Day month yet, with scores of companies, government departments and other entities gearing up to play their part. So far more than 80 activities have been registered in the Mandela Day website.
These are some of the activities lined up:
Cheesekids - Its Mandela Day activity has been branded Youth Revolution. On 16th June, it held an event to clean up four schools. Also in July, this organisation will have major Mandela Day activations in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban. Cheesekids creates a platform for public involvement. It uses the model of a central hub from which members of the public who have signed up are taken to various community service sites. Thousands of people are set to take part in Cheesekids’ July activities.
Ascent of Kilimanjaro – campaign to collect 1000 sanitary pads for distribution to girls in rural areas. Richard Mabaso of Imbumbu Foundation and Sibusiso Vilane will undertake the climb. The dates for the Kilimanjaro trip will be the 6th till the 14th of July. The climb will be followed by the distribution of sanitary pads during the week of the16th July. The programme aims to reach 1000 girls and to provide them with sanitary pads for a year. The United Nations Women Southern Africa Regional is giving strong backing to the campaign and last Friday (29th June) made the first handover of pads to Imbumba Foundation.
Habitat for Humanity’s - Mandela Day "Build Week" which aims to build 67 houses. It will undertake Mandela Day house-builds in Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng (Orange Farm).
Stop Hunger Now – this initiative will involve thousands of people in various cities/towns around the country in preparing special food packs. The food packs are distributed to early learning centres in poor communities; such distribution forms part of a broader programme of improving facilities and management at such educare centres. Companies such as Pick and Pay get involved and hundreds of their staff members will be involved in such packing sessions. Members of the public are also invited to participate.
Lead SA – has committed to adopting schools in Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN and to get volunteers to do their bit on 18th July.
Meals on Wheels - is encouraging companies to support the elderly. This initiative is important because there are an astonishing number of elderly people from all population groups who live in awful circumstances.
Joubert Park initiative - by the Joubert Park Youth Outreach Project (NGO). Their programme will include an exhibition, a lecture, a clean-up of a taxi rank, a Big Walk (signifying the Long Walk) from Joubert Park to Constitutional Hill and a day of fun for smaller kids.
Book handovers - There will be several book handovers. For example, one book handover will be at a school in Alexandra township and another to a school in Tsakane.
The Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton - is collecting books and cans of food. It uses the slogan "A full tummy powers a healthy brain". The handover will take place at school in Alex on 18th July. The handover will be preceded by community service work at the school.
Department of Correctional Services - The focus will be on community service activities involving inmates at schools in each province and schools will be the focal point of this initiative.
Road race, Pietermaritzburg to Howick - This race, dubbed the Mandela Day road race, will start at the city’s Edendale township and end at the Nelson Mandela capture site in Howick. It is being implemented by the Umsundusi Municipality.
The Khaya FM road race - This race is set to take place on 15th July.
South African Airways - The airline will again run a major Mandela Day programme. Firstly, the programme will involve 31 young people (one from every single SAA global destination) in a discussion of the lessons from various periods in Madiba’s life. They will fly the youth into Johannesburg on 12th July. Secondly, a high level dialogue, with a fundraising component, is planned on the topic "Shared Futures". Thirdly, the airline will support the programme to improve school infrastructure and will donate three Container Libraries to schools. Fourthly, the airline and its staff will, as they did last year, undertake Mandela Day activities in key airports including London and Frankfurt; it will also undertake community destination cities the rest of African.
The Drum Café - will host an interactive activity for about 80 learners at their Drum Museum in Selby.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) - The DBE has launched the 94+ Schools Infrastructure Project and has already hosted a major event to inform the media, the private sector and the public of progress.
Mandela Day container libraries - these libraries constitute one of the focal points in the campaign. The library initiative is linked to the DBE’s 94 Schools Infrastructure Campaign. Before the end June, several formal "openings" of the libraries will take place. The libraries also provide opportunities for members of the public to become involved; they can volunteer as librarians, assist with sorting of books and undertake a reading activity with learners.
Pick and Pay book collection - The retailer will place branded boxes at their stores to collect story books for children. These books will be distributed to schools in a way that boosts and supports the establishment of library facilities at schools. Collection will take place at all supermarkets and hypermarkets nationally and a formal handover of books will take place in the last week of July.
Nelson Mandela Bay municipality - will undertake a range of activities including a community service activity and a lecture; their activity will extend over two weeks.
The Cycalive initiative – This initiative, which builds bridges across racial lines, involves high school learners travelling by bicycle from Johannesburg to Durban. It is organised by the Torah Academy but involves the Soweto schools Pace and Moletsane.
Internationally Mandela Day events will take place in virtually every country. The Mandela Day team has been notified of planned activities in New York (United Nations), London (The Elders), Iceland, Jamaica, Burkino Faso, Australia and Philippines.
This year’s Mandela Day is set to exceed what we have achieved in the past precisely because many of those taking part are more organised and better prepared. Many more people locally and around the world know and understand what Mandela Day is. As individuals are concerned, tens of thousands more are set to participate and help create a better world, one small step at time.
SA - the Good News via Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory
Steuart has done some 500 talks on South Africa's progress since 1994 and SA's prospects for the future' 
