The International Organization for Migration in partnership with Save the Children visited Tshitandani Child Care Foundation in Tshikota village, Makhado in Limpopo Province to celebrate Mandela Day.

Nelson Mandela International Day was launched in recognition of Nelson Mandela’s birthday on 18 July 2009. It was inspired by Mandela’s call a year earlier, for the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said that “it is in your hands now”.

Tshitandani Child Care Foundation is a shelter accommodating unaccompanied migrant boys mostly from Zimbabwe and a few from South Africa. This foundation helps the boys in getting education, integrating them into society and also providing them with different skills development projects.

The day was marked by a movie screening that highlighted some of the social injustice issues that many children are facing after they are separated from their loved ones in cases of war, politics, and other factors which contribute to migration.

Some of the fun activities for the day included sack racing, egg racing and tug of war. The foundation received blankets, school uniforms, food parcels and non-perishable items as a way to share the living legacy of Mandela to make a difference in people’s lives.

Other agencies present were Lawyers for Human Rights LHR, United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and Future Families.

IOM also visited Casa Caritas, the home of the mentally and physically disabled persons, to donate toiletries, food parcels and bedding items for the kids.

Casa Caritas is a residential care facility based in Kempton Park, Gauteng where they provide life-long care to physically and mentally disabled persons who are unable to be trained or educated.

Some of the support services they offer the local residents include nursing, physical therapy and recreational activities.