“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” – Nelson Mandela
4.6 million children in South Africa will go to bed hungry tonight and 27% of children under 5 years old in South Africa are nutritionally stunted. Coupled with this, 76% of tots under 4 have no access to pre-schools. “No child should be malnourished or deprived of an education,” says Mark Bunn, MD of FUTURELIFE®. “These little ones are the future of our nation and need to be given a chance to reach their full potential. For this reason, Future Life together with the Nelson Mandela Foundation has created a sustainable programme to reach more children in need with FUTURELIFE® highly nutritious Smart Food. We have a collective goal to distribute over 5 million meals through various, sustainable initiatives and FUTURELIFE® will also be building an Early Childhood Development Centre in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation.”
According to Mark, despite being acutely aware of these harsh realities, many individuals are uncertain about how they can help to make a difference. “South Africans, by nature, are generous, charitable, and always willing to support initiatives that will provide relief to those who are vulnerable, but time constraints and not knowing where to start can be a big deterrent. Future Life, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation, seeks to offer South Africans a quick and easy way to make a tangible difference this Mandela month.”
Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, echoes these sentiments. “Children are our most vulnerable citizens. This NelsonMandela day offers us an opportunity to honour Madiba, who had such a great love for children, by bringing them hope through ongoing efforts to fight malnutrition and hunger, such as this partnership with Future Life.”
Future Life has aimed to make it as easy as possible for South Africans to get involved in a worthy cause this Mandela Month by providing 3 ways to donate:
1. Monetary donation using a QR code: A unique, limited-edition FUTURELIFE® Smart Food Pack has a QR code on the packaging that will redirect you to the FUTURELIFE® online donation portal where you can make a monetary contribution which will go to The Nelson Mandela Foundation for meals for vulnerable children
2. Monetary donation via a website: You can go directly to either futurelife.com to make a contribution. No amount is too small, every cent counts.
3. Donate a care package: You can purchase one of two care packages to either feed a child for a month (3x 500g Smart Food) or feed a child for a year (40x 500g smart food), and FUTURELIFE® will send it directly to Early Childhood Development Centres around the country that have been audited and selected by their partners HOPE worldwide South Africa. Go to futurelife.com.
“FUTURELIFE® has a long track record of supporting nutrition, especially in young children at preschool level as we believe the foundation for health, hope, happiness, and nation-building starts here. The need is enormous, and we want to keep Nelson Mandela’s legacy alive through our campaign for nutrition and access to preschool education. Our partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation will provide sustenance to many but we cannot do it alone. We are relying on that spirit of ubuntu which is so prevalent in South Africa to rise up and enable us to reach every hungry child so that they can thrive. That way, we can ensure a better future for our nation for generations to come. The difference, however, starts with you,” concludes Mark.
For more information on how you can get involved, buy a pack or donate online, go to www.futurelife.com.
