Standard Bank employees in Durban are in high spirits as they compete to pack the most boxes for children on Mandela Day, 18 July 2024. (Photo:Naledi Sikhakhane) 
Volunteers were in high spirits as they toiled in a makeshift production line at the Station Urban Event Station space in Durban on 18 July to make their Mandela Day contribution.
They packed dry foods such as rice, lentils and beans into 500g packets, stacking them in boxes destined for early childhood development (ECD) centres, especially unregistered ones in underprivileged areas. They weighed and sealed the packets as quickly as they could within 67 minutes. At the end of the day, more than 180,000 meals had been packed.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240718_114741.jpg "Soya mince is put into buckets to create a production line for volunteers from some of the biggest corporations to pack into smaller bags and boxes for Mandela Day in Durban. (Photo: Naledi Sikhakhane)")
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240718_102808.jpg "Rise Against Hunger aimed to pack more than 180,000 meals for Mandela Day. (Photo: Naledi Sikhakhane)")
Corporations including Nedbank, Standard Bank, Marsh Insurance and Shoprite contributed some of their corporate social responsibility funds to the Rise Against Hunger Africa project aimed at providing food to ECD centres.
“We do this every month, but it’s wonderful to have more hands around Nelson Mandela Day,” said Rise Against Hunger events coordinator Gugu Mkhatshwa.
Mandela Day is an annual global celebration on 18 July that honours the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela. It’s a call to action for individuals, communities and organisations to reflect on Mandela’s values and principles and to make a positive impact in communities.
At the conference centre in Durban, there were three 97-minute shifts, with the Rise Against Hunger team helping the enthusiastic volunteers perform their tasks safely, quickly and even joyfully, to the soundtrack of dance music subgenres gqom and amapiano.
Rise Against Hunger aims to supply one box of meals for every 20 children attending an ECD centre, which is sufficient for five servings per child per week for a month.
“This will create a savings of between R250-R300 per month. We will then guide the principle of the crèche to spend the savings on areas which were identified from the baseline assessment. This might include a first aid kit, fire extinguisher, teacher training, classroom infrastructure, sanitation infrastructure… Improved nutrition and improved education,” said Mkhatshwa.
/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240718_114901.jpg "Boxes with meals packed and stacked by volunteers on Mandela Day in Durban, ready to be delivered to children in unregistered early childhood development centres. (Photo: Naledi Sikhakhane)")
Andisa Sikwebu from Nedbank was sweating and jubilant after his midday shift of meal packing. “We packed 60 boxes altogether. I was also responsible for carrying them up the stage, so I got good exercise as well as doing good for others. If you do good, you also feel good.”
Nedbank had one of the biggest teams with more than 60 volunteers.
Leanne Vadivellu came with her team from Marsh Insurance. “We are here to give our 67 minutes in the name of Mandela,” she said. “It’s important because you always need to give back, to be grateful for everything that you have and pay it forward.”
Vadivellu said she appreciated how easy Rise Against Hunger made it to contribute and participate in the day.
Seeds of hope
At another Mandela Day event, in KwaMsane township, in KZN’s north, Lifeline chief executive Michelle Jewlal handed over equipment and seedlings for a community garden.
“It’s always good to share a glimmer of hope. One small act of kindness from you can mean the world to someone else,” said Jewlal.
“The day helps everyone remember the principles Nelson Mandela stood for — ubuntu, his fellowship with everyone, batho pele principles — everybody feels that spirit on Madiba Day.” DM