New online platform, 67Minutes, is aimed at supporting the Mandela Day initiative. It hopes to easily connect charities and organisations with those who want to give help.

Ninety one charities and organisations are already on board as participants including CHOC, Nkosi’s Haven, Life Line, Blind SA, Amnesty International SA, QuadPara Association and many others. 

“Those who are looking to devote at least 67 minutes of their time on Saturday, 18 July and are trying to find somewhere to go and/or something to do to live the legacy of Mandela’s birthday for charity can now do so easily with this app,” says Charles Burman, MD Digital Publications, the company that developed the free app.

There are two components to the app, the first is aimed at users and volunteers and the second aimed at charities, NGO’s and welfare organisations. “So whether you are a charity looking for support or you are an individual or organisation looking to help, you can find it in one place,” Burman explains.

“67Minutes has been developed in such a way, that should you have a type of event in mind, a specific budget, or if you're simply searching for ideas of how you can help based on your location, you can quickly and easily discover them.” 

There is no cost to users or volunteers wanting to download or use the app and there is no cost to organisations to register and post projects.

Any charity, NGO, organisation, non-profit or individual can register and post projects and events to the app. Organisations and projects can only be posted to the app through the 67Minutes website.

“There is no restriction on the type of projects that can be posted, however we would encourage organisations to post projects and events that require non-monetary contributions such as time, goods and services, or second-hand items,” Burman says. 

Anybody wanting to participate in an event or project can download the smartphone app from their appropriate app store. “Once the app has downloaded to your device you can search for projects and events based on your location or category into which the project fall,” he adds. “Once you’ve found an activity that you would like to participate in press on the ‘participate’ button and complete the steps to join the project.” 

In order join a project, users and volunteers need to register on the app to provide the organisations who are hosting the projects with information on who and how many people will be attending or participating in the event or project. Once you’ve joined a project an email notification will be sent. 

Burman says that details will be used for no other purpose and are encrypted to the highest possible standards.

Pro bono partners have come on board to promote the initiative. These partners include the creative team at Saatchi & Saatchi BrandsRock who have developed an impactful billboard campaign, Saatchi & Saatchi PR arm Tin Can PR will publicise the initiative and Tractor Outdoor have committed to sponsoring the billboard placement.

For more information, visit www.67minutes.org.za. Alternatively connect with them on Facebook or  Twitterusing the hashtags #MandelaDay and #67Minutes.