In celebration of Mandela Day on 25th October 2024, we partnered with Old Mutual Insure to make a significant impact at the MES Safe Space in Bellville, Cape Town. Guided by the spirit of Mandela’s legacy—service to others and uplifting our communities—we transformed a simple storage container into a fully functional My Change Voucher Shop, providing vital support for the vulnerable citizens who rely on MES Safe Space.
MES Safe Space: A Lifeline for Homeless Citizen Support
Mandela Day is about taking action to inspire change, and MES Safe Space embodies this mission daily. MES Safe Space is more than just a shelter—it’s a beacon of hope for the homeless, offering essential services aimed at reintegrating individuals back into society. By empowering and rehabilitating homeless citizens, MES Safe Space fosters independence and improves their overall well-being. Through this collaboration with Old Mutual Insure, we’ve further strengthened the resources available at the MES Safe Space.
A Container Transformed: The My Change Voucher Shop
The upgrade of the container into a My Change Voucher Shop is a meaningful way to celebrate Mandela Day. The shop operates on a voucher system where homeless individuals earn vouchers by participating in various work opportunities. These vouchers can then be redeemed for essential items such as clothing, food, and toiletries. This system not only provides material support but also fosters a sense of dignity and self-sufficiency—values closely aligned with Mandela’s vision for equality and empowerment.
A Day of Transformation and Impact
On this special day, 30 volunteers from Old Mutual Insure came together to honor Mandela's legacy through action, contributing their time and effort to various activities:
Painting the Exterior of the Container: 10 volunteers worked tirelessly to clean and paint the container, giving it a fresh and welcoming appearance.
Building Shelves and Organizing the Space: Another 10 volunteers focused on building five shelving units and organizing the interior of the container, ensuring that the shop would be well-structured and efficient.
Packing Sanitary Packages: A group of 5 volunteers assembled 150 sanitary toiletry kits to be distributed to the homeless citizens, promoting hygiene and well-being.
This collaborative effort turned the container into a vibrant and functional shop, ready to serve the community with dignity—a perfect reflection of Mandela Day’s message of service and care.
Gratitude and Looking Ahead
We are deeply thankful to Old Mutual Insure for their ongoing commitment to creating positive social change and to all the volunteers who honored Mandela’s legacy by making this transformation possible. This project was funded and made possible by Old Mutual Insure. Together with MES Safe Space, we are fostering a more dignified and sustainable future for the homeless community.
Inspired by this story? You can make a similar impact by partnering with us at Call 2 Care. We specialize in creating and managing community-driven projects that uplift vulnerable citizens and foster sustainable change. Whether you’re a company looking to support initiatives like the MES Safe Space, or an individual eager to volunteer, we’re here to help you turn your desire to make a difference into action.
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