This Mandela Day, SCOUTS South Africa is calling on young people and volunteers across the country to put their values into action by giving 67 minutes of service to their communities.

Mandela Day is more than a day of remembrance. It is a call to action that encourages every South African to help build a kinder, more hopeful and more compassionate society. It reminds us that each of us has the power to create positive change through simple acts of service.

This year’s SCOUTS South Africa Mandela Day campaign invites members to put their values into action by:

• Filling Jars of Hope with dry food ingredients to help provide warm, nourishing meals for families facing hunger; or
• Cleaning up parks, beaches, streets and other shared community spaces so that children and families have safe, welcoming places to learn, play and connect.

These projects reflect what Scouting is all about. Every day, Scouts across South Africa put the Scout Promise and Law into practice by serving others, caring for the environment and making a positive difference in their communities. Mandela Day gives us another opportunity to demonstrate these values in action.

As Messengers of Peace, we believe that no act of service is too small. Every positive action of service can inspire others and create lasting change. When thousands of Scouting members serve together, those individual actions become a powerful force for good.

Did you know?

Nelson Mandela “Madiba”, served as the Patron of SCOUTS South Africa and was awarded the Africa Elephant, Africa’s highest Scouting honour. Upon receiving the award, he said: “The importance of a high moral code, which is at the foundation of the Scout Movement, cannot be stressed too highly.”

Today, more than 32,000 young people across South Africa continue to live those values through Scouting. By developing practical skills, leadership and a commitment to service, they are becoming ethical, caring and active citizens who are helping to build stronger communities and a brighter future for all.

Share your impact

We’d love to celebrate the difference you’re making this Mandela Day. Please send your photos and a short paragraph about your project  (include your Scout Group name) to Natasha at [email protected] so we can showcase how Scouts across South Africa are putting their values into action and are making a long-lasting impact.