Greening and Feeding this Mandela Day
In honour of Mandela Day and in the spirit of giving back to the community, City Property will be spending their 67#Minutes and beyond, tackling grass roots issues that affect the poorest of the poor in South Africa.
Mandela Day, internationally embraced, became a 67 Minute obligation to do something for someone else, without expecting anything in return. As millions of people following this annual tradition can attest, the return is much higher than the investment. At his 90th birthday celebrations in 2008 at London’s Hyde Park, the great man himself said: “It is time for new hands to lift the burdens. It is in your hands now.”
As one of two initiatives this year, #TeamCityProperty will be planting 1500 fruit and indigenous shade trees distributed to the community through Bona Lasedi Secondary School in Mamelodi East, to green and create shade around the homes of residents and provide nutrient dense, organic fruit in season.
Bona Lasedi will be one of the two school food gardens which will be the beneficiary of training and with long term support. The schools will receive water infrastructure, plant materials, tools and training over 12 months.
In partnership with City Property, Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), South Africa’s greening and social enterprise that develops, promotes and facilitates greening, climate change action, food security and sustainable natural resource use and management, will be facilitating the roll out of this massive intervention.
“As a company we have decided to get involved with this great project by Food and Trees for Africa and we have committed ourselves to a long-term relationship with the school. In fact, we will be back in August with another project that is close to our hearts. We are doing this under our campaign of #ChangeOurCityForGood,” Jeffrey Wapnick, MD of City Property explains.
“Madiba has showed us how to lead by example, and by doing our bit for 67 Minutes, we are keeping his vision for our country alive.”
With events such as this Mandela Day celebration, the very real threat of food insecurity that plagues the community of Mamelodi will be addressed. Fresh, nutrient dense organic veggies will contribute to the school’s feeding scheme, ensuring that learners are fed at least one healthy, nutritional meal for growing minds and bodies.
The second initiative the company is getting involved in is Homeless Solutions, which aid and support those individuals who have become homeless as a result of unemployment.
“Through our extensive network of suppliers, we are able to get contractors to sort out some basic but necessary maintenance work at their premises. Our passionate staff identified the need for a gas stove, some pressure cookers, groceries and toiletries, which was handed over earlier today.
Staff will also be lending a helping hand as this NGO will be preparing food for over 100 homeless people on the day.
“I am honoured to be part of a community with such a big heart and a big thank you to each and every staff member and contractor who put time aside to help people in the community in which we operate.”
City Property operates on the premise that honesty and integrity are the foundation of their business values and like Tata himself, their underlying mission statement is to make it happen!
Mandela Day is a global call to action that celebrates the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world, the ability to make a difference.