#67minutes #mandela

July 18th is the 94th Birthday of Nelson Mandela. To celebrate his birthday people are asked to donate 67 minutes of their time to help out and volunteer to worthy causes.

This is where I spent my 67 minutes (well 255 minutes and then several more hours at home) cutting magazines to make bunting for the Nickel Xmas Market


I shall be returning next week, complete with sewing machine to make more bunting.
So how does this help this organisation? Kungwini Welfare Organisation KWO is an organisation overseeing and raising funds for many projects in the community. The Nickel Xmas Market supports people with disabilities and job creation for unemployed women and youth.

The Paul Jungnickel Home is KWO's largest and oldest project and a project close to my heart as my (step) daughter is in care in the UK, the funding she receives per year is around the same amount that this facility gets for ALL their 140 residents.

I also need to mention the 67 cupckes I made for The Baby House check out their facebook page.


It's never too late to donate 67 minutes of your time. Either contact the organisation direct or tweet me if you want to know more about what you can do.

Linking up with # groovymums from last week, I've opted to use challenge number 6 as a way to find out how to be an effective volunteer in Africa. To find out why organisations are turning me away. I have skills, qualifications and experience, but they are just not interested. What am I doing wrong? 6
. The Big Question – what one small thing can you do that will make a big difference?  Take this how you will and in a way that serves you. 

You wouldn't believe the knock backs I'm getting here in South Africa.
I research, computer on twitter and make contact and get knocked back.
I'm not qualified, I'm not the right race, I don't speak the language and I'm not here long enough to make a commitment.
Every bloody day I see tweets about poverty and aids in Africa, every day we are being asked to raise awareness and every day I offer my services. No one asks me what nationality I am, whether I speak any languages other than english our how long am I living here for.
They just tell me they want local people who can offer commitment, understand the culture and the language.
Then they provide me with a link to their fundraising website.

Well I live in South Africa, I'm a qualified lecturer of special needs and life skills, I've planned, developed and delivered child welfare courses, I've trained teaching assistants, I've managed over 120 volunteers in child welfare for The English FA, reaching thousands of individuals, parents, children, coaches.
I have a CV I can send you.
I'm currently involved with @thebabyhouse and @santashoebox. I have time, transport and the will.
So what are you waiting for? Contact me, offer me a volunteers role in your organisation and let me show you what I can do to help.
* I do only speak english, I am white british, but I'm local, I'm here and I'm committed.