Mandela Day 2019

Our Amazing Race To Reach Mandela Day Goals

Nelson Mandela is one of the most inspiring South Africans in the country, if not the world. He is known for saying and believing that, “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one’s time and energy to helping others without expecting anything in return,” and this Mandela Day, Shiloh Synergy aimed to provide this gift to others.  

21 Teams. 84 Participants. Six Unique Pit Stops. Many Hearts Touched. 

This was the result of our Mandela Day Amazing Race. The mission was to help various NPOs to showcase how they work behind the scenes to make the impact they do on the lives of others. We included places that many people have never dreamed of going to, but provided experiences that were enriching and exciting. 

Keep reading to find out what the Amazing Race teams were tasked with this Mandela Day.

Educational Experiences At Athlone School For The Blind

The teams started their day at the Athlone School For The Blind. Here we asked them to take part in tasks which would help them to learn a little bit more about how these inspiring children spend their time and how they navigate the world around them. 

Teams were asked to count money with a blindfold on, try on various glasses made for different types of blindness, walk with a cane while wearing a blindfold, and even colour in and build puzzles while blindfolded. These were difficult tasks but helped to show the participants the true struggles of these children and what they have had to overcome to find their place in the world. 

Rolling Up Sleeves With VRCID

In December of 2017, a fire wreaked havoc on a building in Voortrekker Road Corridor CID in Parow. It made for a hopeless situation, but soon a project was launched in the form of a massive cleanup, hosted by the VRCID (Voortrekker Road Corridor Improvement District). 

This is a non-profit organisation which strives to improve the appearance, safety, and community of the area. Teams of the Amazing Race were tasked with rolling up their sleeves and getting “down and dirty” by helping to pick up as much litter and rubbish as possible. These teams braved cold weather and rain to make a difference and improve the dignity of the people in this area. 

Fabulous Food Created With Shiloh Food and Jesus In Action

The next leg of the race saw teams alternating between Shiloh Food and Jesus In Action (JiA). JiA is a Christian organisation which aims to provide sustainable projects in communities to uplift and encourage those who live there. Teams were asked to help serve tea and cake to the guests from Rusoord Ouetehuis – after decorating the cakes of course. 

Cake decorating allowed the teams to let their creativity run wild for a good cause, and the Rusoord Ouetehuis guests enjoyed the stunning creations they were able to eat afterwards!

With Shiloh Food, we had a massive task for the teams – help us to reach our goal of making 2 500 scrumptious meatballs! Participants had to put on their training chef’s hats and make mountains of meatballs to serve to those in need. Shiloh Food is a Shiloh Synergy project which strives to feed the needy in the Western Cape communities. 

Photographic Furbabies at Change For The Better Foundation

For the animal lovers on the Amazing Race teams, spending time at the Change For The Better Foundation was the highlight of the day. This is a pro-life non-profit organisation that prides itself on providing a warm, loving shelter for all animals in need. 

Teams were asked to take a photograph with a dog or cat for this leg of the race. While they were not able to take any of their furbabies home, the photographs can be used to spread awareness of the stunning kittens, puppies, cats, and, dogs that are available for adoption at Change For The Better Foundation. 

Concluding The Day At Shiloh Khaya Kids

After spending the day rushing around and taking part in exciting tasks, the teams concluded the proceedings at Shiloh Khaya Kids, one of the many educational institutions that are part of our projects. 

The teams had to return to their own childhoods here and make play-doh for the little ones to enjoy during their playtime. Everyone got stuck in and really enjoyed this relaxing activity! Teams were treated to a delicious lunch and a fun awards ceremony before heading off back to work to wind down their Mandela Day. If you would like to find out more about Shiloh Synergy or would like to donate to us, contact us today for more information.