“April 27 marks the day when South Africans from all walks of life were able to go to the polls in 1994 and to vote for their choice of government. Finally, the day they were waiting for had arrived! For the first time, they were recognized as citizens and felt a sense of belonging in their own country. It was a day filled with tears of joy.
“Freedom Day gave our people hope,” explains Alfred. “It made South Africans believe that people are equal before the law and that we could choose whom to put in power and trust with service delivery. For the first time, those who had fewer opportunities in the workplace could choose to do any work they wished.”
Right after Freedom Day comes Workers Day, the international day set aside on 1 May to honour laborers, and those in the working classes. In South Africa, it is a day to remember the struggle against apartheid-era labor exploitation and to celebrate the leadership that trade unions showed in supporting democracy and their ongoing fight for workers’ rights.
Both these days are important at Infinite Family because they remind us that, until relatively recently, the majority of South Africans weren’t allowed to study freely , choose a career path, or hold a job that provided them and their families with opportunities for stability, advancement, and economic independence.
It’s the reason why our Net Buddies are so eager to engage with mentors in our Infinite Family who can model the success in school, work, and life that they see so little of in their own communities. Last year this amounted to a combined total of almost 2, 000 hours, at a value of more than $69,000/R1.2 million.
Our Infinite Family includes hundreds of incredible nurturing, caring and loving mentors who show up for our Net Buddies with unwavering dedication and consistency that makes all the difference. Along with our heartfelt celebrations of all our wonderful mentors on Workers Day, our teens also have the opportunity to celebrate Mothers’ Day which, this year, falls on May 10 in South Africa.
To every woman who gives her time, her energy, and her experience to prepare our teens: Happy Mothers’ Day and THANK YOU! In a world full of competing demands, your commitment speaks volumes about what you value and how you are making the world a better place, one teen at a time. You are seen, you are valued, and you are deeply cherished.