On Mandela Day on July 18, popular non-profit organisation Ladles of Love created a hive of activity all over the country with its latest world record attempt.
Thousands of people flocked to volunteer at events held in Cape Town at the V&A Waterfront’s Look Out and Oranjezicht City Farm Market, Old Ed’s Club in Johannesburg and Hermanus Waterfront, to pay tribute to the legacy of South Africa’s late President, Nelson Mandela.
“I sit here exhausted and exhilarated reflecting on our Mandela Day, as what I witnessed and experienced, was truly extraordinary. Madiba did not see colour, race or gender, he only saw human beings and I know what we achieved together in honouring his legacy, signifies exactly what Mandela Day is about. I know Madiba would have been proud of us, as he dreamed of creating a better world for our children,” says Danny Diliberto, founder of Ladles of love.
To sustain the organisation they have staged and produced three world records in three consecutive years for: the ‘most amount of homemade sandwiches produced in one hour’, the ‘longest line of good cans’ and ‘the largest food can mosaic with a mural of Nelson Mandela’.
In another staggering feat Ladles of Love has officially set their fourth Ubuntu World Record and this year it is: ‘the highest number of volunteers offering 67 minutes of their time on Mandela Day to make items that nourish, nurture and grow children at ECD Centres in impoverished communities.’
The record was set by 6,003 volunteers nationally, and was officiated by Director of Ubuntu World Records, Theresa Parsraman at the Cape Town event. Ubuntu World Records, a NPC, has been established to recognise and record achievements that in the spirit of ubuntu, drive activism and awareness around advancing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Each registered official Ubuntu World Record must fit into one or more of the 17 goal categories and be purposeful, measurable, and accountable. The record attempts can be staged by companies, individuals, groups or organisations but must support fundraising, awareness and sustainability of registered Non-profit Organisations or Non-profit Companies.
The record was achieved for SDG 4 ‘Quality Education’ but applies to SDG 2 ‘Zero Hunger’ too as volunteers were required to make items that assisted in the education of small children. Ladles of Love Programme Director, Yolanda Jones says: “You cannot educate a child on an empty stomach as a result our early childhood development programme focuses on providing nutritious food as well as support to the centre to train teachers and provide educational materials. The items made by volunteers will make the world of difference to children.”
Over 150,000 items produced by 6,000 volunteers on Mandela Day will roll out to nourish, nurture and grow over 4000 children via 75 ECD centres. Sponsored materials and products were used to set up the volunteer activation stations and here sandwiches were made, edible gardens created, educational toys crafted, jars of hope with dry foods filled, colouring books collated and hampers packed with items required by children in each centre.
Says Diliberto: “We are grateful to every single person and all our sponsors who donated time, goods and funds to make our Mandela Day 2023 initiative such a success. The overwhelming support, outpouring of love and spirit of ubuntu we witnessed at our events is what inspires us and spurs us on to do more. We need to create a better world for our children and in the words of Madiba, it is in our hands.”
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