Johannesburg July 8th, 2016 - Mandela Bangle, in collaboration with Relate Bracelets, announces the #My67Beads campaign to mark Mandela Day 2016 and raise funds for the Mandela Day Library Schools project.   The #My67Beads national campaign comprises the sale of 67 000 beaded Mandela Bangles, which cost R67 each.  Each bangle includes a packet of 67 beads and a thread.  Calling on all South Africans including the public, celebrities, and corporate partners, to “connect the beads and connect the nation” the #My67Beads campaign encourages purchasers of the Mandela Bangle to complete the strings of 67 beads. Each thread will be joined together with other threads to create one long, united thread.  

Relate CEO Neil Robinson explains: “South Africa has had a challenging time of it lately – socially, politically and economically.  And whilst our country faces many difficulties I believe there is an underlying spirit of ubuntu which is alive and well in millions of us.” “It is with this belief that we are embarking on the #My67Beads campaign initiative this year to honour Mr Mandela’s legacy in helping to build and connect our great nation,” he added. The final single thread of beads created by a united South Africa, will be then transformed into an installation artwork to be unveiled at the V&A Waterfront ahead of Mandela Day. The remainder will be collected until the end of September and another installation will be created later in the year.

The Mandela Bangles are available from Bead ‘n Go stations in Tourvest outlets throughout South Africa including Tiger’s Eye at the Waterfront in Cape Town and Sandton City, as well as airport outlets throughout the major centres. Beading stations are also located at Protea and African Pride hotels (Participating hotels listed below).  Packs of beads to be threaded will be available at each of these Bead ‘n Go stations. On Mandela Day, there will also be a beading station in Vilikazi Street, Soweto and the whole initiative is being supported by various SA celebrities as an ambassadors of the programme, including Hlubi Mboya and Matthew Booth to name just two. Proceeds of the sale of the Mandela Bangles will go towards the refurbishment of old containers, which are then stocked with library books and donated to underprivileged schools across South Africa. 

The Nelson Mandela School Library project funded by the Mandela Bangle program has been ongoing since 2011 with more than 80 000 children benefiting daily. Commenting on the #My67Beads campaign, Robert Coutts, CEO of Mandela Bangle, says: “One of the many outstanding attributes of the Mandela Bangle program is that over 66 percent of the proceeds of the sale of each bangle goes straight into the library project.” “This means that our school children directly benefit from the program,” he adds.

The beads are available at the following shops and hotels around South Africa:

Gauteng: Made in SA Sandton Jacana Sandton City Cradle Maropeng Indaba Lifestyle OR Tambo Airport Out of Africa Kiosk OR Tambo Airport Made in South Africa OR Tambo Airport African Origins Domestic OR Tambo Airport Out of Africa Mega OR Tambo Airport Indaba Origins OR Tambo Airport   Western Cape: African Origins Cape Town Airport Indaba Curios Waterfront V & A Waterfront Made in SA Indaba Stellenbosch Kraal Kraft Houtbay Kirstenbosch Cape Town Out of Africa Cape Town International Airport Out of Africa V & A Waterfront Out of Africa Cape Point Gateway Robben Island Murray’s Harbour Robben Island Tigers Eye Waterfront   Eastern Cape: KNP Addo National Park   Mpumalanga/Limpopo: Kruger Park Letaba Kruger Airport Curios Kruger Park Lower Sabie Kruger Park Satara Kruger Park Skukuza   NW Province: Tigers Eye Palace Sun City.

Participating hotels with Mandela Bangles and 67 bead packs and Bead n Go stations include: Gauteng: Protea Hotel Fire&Ice! Melrose Arch - Johannesburg Protea Hotel Fire&Ice! Menlyn - Pretoria Protea Hotel Midrand - Johannesburg Protea Hotel Roodepoort - Weltevreden Park, Roodepoort Protea Hotel Parktonian All-Suite - Braamfontein, Johannesburg African Pride Irene Country Lodge - Pretoria   Western Cape: Protea Hotel Fire&Ice! Cape Town - Cape Town Protea Hotel Mossel Bay - Mossel Bay, Western Cape Protea Hotel Tyger Valley - Cape Town Protea Hotel North Wharf - Cape Town African Pride Crystal Towers Hotel & Spa - Cape Town   Free State : Protea Hotel Clarens - Clarens, Free State Protea Hotel Willow Lake - Willows, Bloemfontein   North-West: African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa – Magaliesburg   KwaZulu Natal Protea Hotel Edward - Durban Mpumalanga Protea Hotel Hazyview - Hazyview Protea Hotel Kruger Gate - Skukuza, Kruger National Park   Limpopo  Protea Hotel Landmark – Polokwane.

About Mandela Bangle Library Project

Mandela Bangle Schools Library initiative, in conjunction with the Long Walk to Freedom Brand, Soul Buddies, Rotary International, and the Department of Education, supplies fully stocked container libraries to disadvantaged schools. The Mandela Day Library Schools project aims to deliver at least 100 libraries within four years.

About Relate

Founded by Lauren Gillis who recognised that we are all connected, and each of us has the opportunity, responsibility, and privilege to be agents of social change, today, Relate Bracelets makes handmade beaded bracelets in support of more than 80 causes. Proceeds from the sale of each bracelet support not only the relevant causes, but also senior citizens in impoverished communities who supplement their pensions by threading the beads. Many of these senior citizens care for their grandchildren and others orphaned by HIV/Aids. Relate’s younger staff members, who close and pack the bracelets, also benefit with training in their chosen fields to further their careers beyond Relate. Relate Bracelets are instantly recognisable by their signature “R” bead, a sign of their transparency and accountability. With millions of South Africans coming together to each do a little, a lot has been achieved. To date, through the sale of these bracelets, Relate has raised more than R35-million for causes related to health, education, conservation, social upliftment, children, and empowerment.

Sent by: Joti Timm, Pleiades Media, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 082 902 5866
On behalf of: Robert Coutts Mandela Bangle Project, Facebook Mandela Bangle