Nine months following the passing of Nelson Mandela’s passing, Strate paid tribute to his legacy by supporting the Robben Island Art Co & Trust (RIACT) RIACT is an initiative that allows both individuals and corporates to purchase an authentic art piece – a painting of Nelson Mandela called “Day Off” – that includes a section of the original prison fence.
The proceeds of which then go towards community upliftment and job creation. Robben Island was the maximum-security prison where Nelson Mandela was held for nearly 2 decades. He was released from prison in 1990 to become South Africa’s president in 1994. Robben Island is now a museum and hosts approximately 1 500 visitors every day.
According to the RIACT, apart from creating employment, its project reminds South Africans of what the country achieved in moving peacefully from apartheid to democracy. “One of the primary goals of RIACT is to ensure that the original fence from Robben Island comes full circle from holding people captive, to releasing people from the prison of poverty.”
The art compliments the “Brotherhood of Hope painting”, which includes the likes of Nelson Mandela and US President Barack Obama, which was donated to Strate by John Pickering, an IT Consultant from Incentage. Incentage provides messaging solutions for the financial services industry across the globe.
