2016 Annual Children’s Celebration “Madiba Through The Eyes of Children”

The Annual Children’s Celebration remains the children’s way of honoring Madiba as the children’s champion whose demonstrable commitment to their well being found organisational expression in the establishment of the Fund in 1995.

This year marks the 21 years of the Fund’s existence.
The Annual Children’s Celebration is a child-centred occasion giving children an opportunity to celebrate Madiba’s birthday in a manner that most suits them.  On this occasion, over the years, care is taken to ensure that children are the centre of focus with adults affording them the space to express themselves through song, poetry, debate and play.

The Annual Children’s Celebration is one of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (the Fund) calendar events. It started off as a time Nelson Mandela allocated during his birthday month to celebrate with children. The Annual Children’s Celebration has not stopped with Madiba’s passing. The event continues to give children the opportunity to celebrate the work of the Fund and keep Madiba’s legacy alive in a manner that most suits them.

As a tribute to our founder’s legacy and love for children the theme for this year’s Children’s Celebration is; “Madiba through the eye of a child”

Over the 21 years the Fund has been working tirelessly to change the way society treats its children and youth. On its 21st anniversary, the Fund wishes to reflect and showcase the proud life changing work it had done in the lives of children. This age normally signifies maturity in a person’s life and it’s celebrated by handing the new adult a key which symbolises ‘a key to the world’, in the case of the Fund this also signifies maturity and changing gears, which is why the Fund has is in the process of implementing a new strategy which is agile and more focused to better address issues relating to children.

Based on its priority focus areas, the Fund has identified three overarching themes for interventions; Child Survival and Development, Child Safety and Protection, and Youth Leadership.

1. Child Survival & Development (First 1000 Days of a Child’s Life)Focuses primarily on reduction in Child Mortality, access to health care, and an improved and responsive care systems for children under 5years age.
2. Child Safety & Protection (Safe Schools)It has its core focus on prevention of sexual violence, prevention of bullying, conviction of perpetrators, and creating safe spaces for children.
3. Youth Leadership (Youth Think Tanks)

This focuses on youth leading in coming up with solutions to the challenges they face and youth as agents of change.

The Annual Children’s Celebration ranks as one of the Fund’s platforms to give children a voice, and this year’s   The Children’s celebration is scheduled to take place on the 15 of July, from 09:00 until 14:00 at the Nelson Mandela Children’s offices, 21 Eastwold Way, corner Oxford Rd, Saxonwold.