On 18 July, South Africans commemorated the life of former president Nelson Mandela by spending 67 minutes bettering their community. For its Mandela Day celebrations, QASA invited the community to assist with sorting bottle tops and bread tags for recycling, which will in turn fund a wheelchair for an individual in need.
“A wheelchair can make all the difference to a person with a mobility impairment,” the organisation stated. “Often those who are unable to walk easily or at all remain confined to their homes – especially in improvised communities. A wheelchair offers them more freedom to move around, independence to do things for themselves and enables them to better participate in society. They can enjoy a much better quality of life.”
By collecting, sorting and recycling bread tags and bottle tops, the QASA initiative also redirects plastic away from landfills; thus, assisting the environment. QASA expressed its gratitude to all the community members, some of whom were children, who assisted on Mandela Day.
“We are truly grateful to our community and their willingness to assist us with sorting bottle tops and bread tags. They have played an important role in bettering our environment, community and the lives of people with mobility impairments.”
Schools, businesses and individuals are encouraged to collected or save their bottle tops and bread tags. These can then be dropped off at QASA for recycling. It only takes 50 kgs of bread tags or 450 kgs of bottle tops to fund one chair. For more information about the initiative, contact QASA on 031 767 0352 or send an e-mail to info@qasa.co.za.
