The Cosmo City Women's Forum dedicated 67 minutes of Mandela Day to feed dozens of community members at the Multipurpose Centre on 18 July 2023.
Members of the forum also gathered unwanted clothes and shoes in good shape from their closets, friends, family, and neighbors to donate to the elderly.
"We came together as a forum with a plan to make a difference," said Cosmo City Women's Forum chairperson Cecilia Ndlovu.
"We decided to bring joy and put a smile in our community," she said. "It was a big turnout as we distributed clothes and shoes as well as bread and soup to community members attending clinic consultations, elderly people, personnel at the center, and even those passing by when they heard the news."
She stated that they were deeply moved when a lady arrived with her children, explaining that they had not had anything to eat since the previous night.
"It was a true celebration because everyone was satisfied and joyful.We (CCWF) are extremely happy because our vision/mission is to help our community and we have a lot of courage.We recently resurrected and re-launched on April 24th!Our team is united in the belief that we can work together to fulfill our responsibility to assist in the community."
Ndlovu said they were able to produce a beautiful scrumptious chicken and vegetables soup thanks to a donation of chicken and mixed vegetables from Roots Butchery Cosmo Mall. The CCWF ladies also contributed bread to go with the soup, she said.
Mandela's birthday was named Mandela Day by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on July 18, 2010.
This day is observed to commemorate the birthday of apartheid hero and late President Nelson Mandela (Nelson Mandela International Day).