As part of a new campaign encouraging community outreach on Nelson Mandela Day, South African ambassador to Bulgaria Sheila Camerer visited needy children at the Medical Social Care for Children’s Homes in Kyustendil.
 
The Nelson Mandela Day Campaign is centred around Mandela’s birthday, July 18, and has been launched by the South African government, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and the 46664 Campaign.
 
The campaign calls on everyone to spend 67 minutes doing something useful to the community – in honour of the 67 years that the anti-apartheid hero and former South African president dedicated to public service.
 
A media statement by the South African embassy quoted Mandela as having said, on receiving the Nobel Prize in 1993: "Children are the most vulnerable citizens in any society and the greatest of our treasures." 
 
On July 17, visited the home in Kyustendil, stopping first at the Home for Children in the up to three age group, which is financially subsidised by the Bulgarian Ministry of Health. This centre caters for 46 children.
 
Following discussion with the Director Dr Nellie Krumova, Camerer was given an explanation on the functioning of the Children’s Home.
 
Camerer found great delight in presenting gifts and among others books about South Africa to the Children’s Home, the embassy statement said.
 
Camerer and Krumova agreed that the embassy and the Medical Social Care for Children Home should keep regular contacts. Camerer also visited Municipal Medical Social Care for Children Home aged three to seven where she was given a warm reception by the personnel. This centre caters for 43 children who were presented with foodstuffs. Camerer assured the personnel that she will keep regular contacts with the Children’s Home.
 
In a statement of support for the campaign, Mandela said: "We would be honoured if such a day can serve to bring together people around the world to fight poverty and promote peace and reconciliation."  
 
"Mandela Day is to be an annual celebration of Nelson Mandela’s life and a global call to action for people to recognise their power to make an imprint and change the world around them," the embassy said.