What’s the link between 95, 67, 2000,10 000 and 2013 ?

Today, it is Mandela Day. People around the world celebrate Tata Madiba’s 95th birthday AND they are encouraged to spend at least 67 minutes doing something positive for their communities in honour of the 67 years that Nelson Mandela spent fighting for social justice and a democratic South Africa. This was inspired by Mandela’s speech 5 years ago, on his 90th birthday celebration in London’s Hyde Park, Madiba asked the leaders of future generations to help change the world for the better: 

Look, I am not a number cruncher, far from it actually, I have dyscalculia (it is like dyslexia but with numbers) but this time, I am making an exception as I am about to explain to you the link between 95. 67. 2000 and 10 000 (you should see me write this, it is making me smile big time, haha, me explaining numbers to someone else, “know thyself”) 

So here it goes: Madiba becoming 95 today and the 67 minutes of action to better the world have inspired us and resulted into 2000 people being tested for HIV and 10 000 people being “edutained” about HIV and AIDS awareness in 2013 ! 

Now read this carefully, I will elaborate some more: The Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management loves Madiba and we honour his birthday (95). The team at the Africa Centre believes 67 minutes today is too little, so we do 8 hours every day to reach out to our communities and bring education, hope and good health.  The educational theatre team from the Africa Centre has reached 10 000 people in SA communities during 2013 with their musicals on HIV/AIDS awareness and stigma.  The team from @heart, supporting our educational theatre, has tested 2000 people for HIV during 2013. 

So what are you doing on this special day ? Or every day for that matter, to make that little change the world needs to become a better place for everyone ? Overstepping boundaries, like religion, color, race, culture, rich or poor…putting an end to stigma, judgement, bullying. Are you aware ? Are you part of the change ?

We are ! If you would like to be part of the social change, you can always contact us for more info, any day of the week, you don’t have to wait for the next Mandela day at all : 

W: www.aidscentre.sun.ac.za

FB: www.facebook.com/aidscentre.sun.ac.za

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Aidscentre

Donate: http://www.givengain.com/cause/3831/projects/11876/

Blog: https://aidscentre.wordpress.com/2013/06/24/madiba-reality-surpasses-the-dream/

 

Talking about odd(s), internet probs and Madiba’s birthday

It seems to be a bit of an odd week.  Monday, when I started to write the blog, the internet at my home office refused to work.  Taking the car to venture out to the office in Stellenbosch wasn’t working either because the mechanic was getting his hands dirty on it for a much needed service.  So, I had to use all of my “zen” abilities to put my money where my mouth was because, I always say “everything happens for a reason” (even if one finds out that reason only years later sometimes), I better relax and make the best of it. 

Second try. Tuesday. Stellenbosch office. That’s odd, I can’t log in… I consult my colleagues and I am advised to call the helpdesk. It is a general internet problem affecting the entire campus.  But look who’s here now, against all odds, your faithful Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS blogger does not give up ! All is well that ends well. 

Talking about odds, however. What are the odds that one runs into a retired Newsweek photographer (Mark Peters), who is also a philantropist and an acquaintance of former president Mandela ? Well, as you probably remember from one of my previous blog posts, we did ! And a wonderful cooperation resulted from that meeting. 

Madiba’s birthday is coming up this week.  Our South African hero will turn 95. The world has been praying for his health lately. On July 18th, Mandela day, volunteers will spend 67 minutes on hundreds of community upliftment projects — a minute for every year of his activism. Worldwide several events have been planned to honor our nation’s nobel prize winner.  

The Africa Centre tries to uplift people every day and Mark Peters’ promise to give us R500 000 of the sale of his unique collection of pictures autographed by Mandela to continue our work is in return uplifting to us. 

We are looking for a person or a company, a university or a museum to buy these amazing pictures. One of them showed the world the very first moment of this great man’s freedom, and what time would be better then NOW to offer it to the world ? 

You can contact us for more info on : natascha@sun.ac.za OR call us : +27 21 808 9465