SAAHK partners with Birthday Happiness Asia for Mandela Day 2022

SAAHK partners with Birthday Happiness Asia for Mandela Day 2022

The destructive impact of the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed existing inequalities and damaged vulnerable communities in various ways. This year’s Mandela Day call to action was universally inclusive: identify those in need around you and do what you can to make a difference for them.

For the 2022 Mandela Day project, SAAHK and the Consulate General of the Republic of South Africa urged community members to use their 67 minutes of kindness to assist the most vulnerable members of our society – the children. We collected and donated gift bags to Birthday Happiness Asia to hand out at their birthday parties for needy children. The recipients included children from ethnic minorities, children living in caged homes and children living in sub-standard public housing.

“Do what you can, with what you have, wherever you are.”

An extremely generous group of people donated gifts to support our Mandela Day gift drive. We collected a whopping 61kg of goodies! Donations included 137 personal care items, 338 stationery items, 167 miscellaneous items (water bottles, socks, toys, umbrellas, books) and 250 masks. These items were divided into 33 backpacks donated by SAAHK and gifted to needy children.

On 23 July, SAAHK volunteers took the goodie bags to a Birthday Happiness party in Ngau Tau Kok. They also spent the morning volunteering at the party. SAAHK volunteers handed out gift bags to ethnic minority birthday boys and girls celebrating their special day with friends. 

SAAHK and the SACG would like to thank everyone who contributed to this worthy cause. Our community members’ generosity has allowed Mandela’s legacy to live on and has enabled less fortunate children in Hong Kong to make the special birthday memories they deserve.

About Birthday Happiness Asia

Birthday Happiness Asia brings joy to less fortunate children in Hong Kong by organising their birthday celebrations with cake, decorations, games, and gifts. They work with partnering organisations such as Caritas, SoCo and The Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs Association of Hong Kong. Celebrants who cannot afford to celebrate their birthdays are nominated, and a birthday party is organised. Celebrants can invite friends and family to join them for an unforgettable day. These birthday parties provide vulnerable children who live otherwise challenging lives with long-lasting happy memories of their birthdays – something every child deserves. The charity is always looking for volunteers and donors, so if you would like to get involved on a more regular basis, please contact them here.

A big thanks to our community partners – 30 Degrees South and Robata Master, Chief’s Blend, Hollywood Hair 2, The South African Shop and Yvonne Dow.