Africa and the world at large has been going through challenging times brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic that has touched all our lives and impacted our livelihoods  in one way or another. Now is not the time to let our guard down, but soldier on as Nelson Mandela would have done, by remaining optimistic even in the wake of unprecedented difficulties or seemingly unsurmountable obstacles. 
 
Mandela’s birth country, South Africa, has in this month of July seen high levels of public unrest. The hardships that will result from this social upheaval are compounded by the escalation of COVID-19 infections. The Nelson Mandela International Day, celebrated on his birthday, July 18th,  must be a call to action, a reminder for us all to take constructive actions, in whatever capacity, to better our lives and those of others. It is a reminder that every individual has the potential to transform the world and make an impact, whether at family, community, national or global levels. We all can make positive changes if we remain peaceful and optimistic, bearing the torch of servitude and selflessness that was ignited by Mandela. 
 
Let us be encouraged by Madiba himself, in remembering the words from his autobiography:

“I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward. There were many dark moments when my faith in humanity was sorely tested, but I would not and could not give myself up to despair.”

Even though we maybe currently facing huge mountains, we can still overcome them by putting one foot in front of the other as we climb, keeping our eyes towards the brightness of the sun as we move forward. My message to all Africans is that despite our hardships, we can continue to hold one another’s hands as the solutions we seek to our challenges will only come from ourselves.
 
Let us remember that no single person, no single country or society can resolve its problems fully, if one’s neighbours are not also lifted up. Madiba could not have put it better when he said, “There can be no greater gift than that of giving one's time and energy to helping others without expecting anything in return.” 
 
At the core of us celebrating Mandela Day is the great man’s indisputable belief that, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived; it is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.”