The Nelson Mandela Museum evoked the late Nelson Mandela’s giving spirit on the 10th anniversary of his passing, by hosting an early Christmas lunch for 300 vulnerable and destitute children.
The Christmas lunch was hosted at the Qunu Nelson Mandela Museum Youth and Heritage Centre in Qunu, on December 5.
Mandela passed away on December 5, 2013.
He used to host hundreds of children at his homestead in Qunu, where he spent time with them and showered them with gifts during the December holidays.
Inspired by Nelson Mandela’s love for children, the initiative was spearheaded by Eastern Cape Sport, Recreation, Arts and Culture MEC, Nonceba Kontsiwe, and Nelson Museum Museum chief executive, Vuyani Booi.
Invited children enjoyed various entertainment activities, including a foam pit machine, a jumping castle, a train ride, swings, and face painting, and were showered with various items as presents.
“We invited children from facilities caring for vulnerable and abandoned children, as well as from early childhood centres that are based in disadvantaged communities. We also invited some from the areas that the late Nelson Mandela grew up in, such as Qunu and others,” said Booi.
Booi said the purpose of the Christmas lunch was for them to enjoy the meaning and the value of Christmas, whilst also making them understand the meaning, values, and significance of Nelson Mandela.
Speaking on behalf of the Mandela family, Nelson Mandela’s granddaughter, Ndileka Mandela, said that they deemed it fit to revive the Christmas lunch in honour of Mandela’s 10th anniversary, as it had become an annual tradition while he was still alive.
She further said that they were looking at sustainable programmes to help the vulnerable and destitute children who were invited to the Christmas lunch.
“We want programmes that will be sustainable over time, which is why early next year the children that were chosen for the Christmas lunch will be supplied with books and other stationery, so that we can create that sustainability,” she said.
The day’s festivities were concluded by a memorial lecture to reflect on the 10th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’ s passing, which was delivered by Kontsiwe.
