Mandela Day 2025: A Day of Dignity, Giving and Hope

“There can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children.” — Nelson Mandela

This year, the Girls' College honoured Mandela Day through two beautiful projects, each rooted in empathy, action, and the spirit of community. One was led by our Matric students, and the other by the rest of the school, from Grade 8-11. Both projects reflected the heart of what it means to serve with love.

Project One: One Matric Class to Another – A Gift of Dignity and Care

For their Mandela Day project, the Class of 2025 chose to give back to another Class of 2025, the Matric learners at Sgodiphola Secondary School in Cosmo City. Many of these students come from families with limited resources, where consistent access to daily meals is not always guaranteed. During their Winter School programme, a critical period of preparation for their preliminary and final examinations, they remain on school grounds without access to meals provided by either the government or the school.

In response, our Grade 12 students donated Cup-a-Soup and tea in the weeks leading up to the visit. On the day, a group of our matric students, along with a few enthusiastic Grade 10 learners from Sgodiphola, prepared sandwiches, tea, and care packs for more than 160 matric students. Each care pack contained three packets of Cup-a-Soup, two pens, and a small treat—a heartfelt gesture to bring warmth and encouragement to their winter study evenings.

A deeply moving moment during the visit was when our students presented the  Sgodiphola matrics with a card filled with handwritten messages of encouragement. These notes spoke of resilience, belief, and solidarity—simple yet powerful reminders that they are not alone on their journey. The card was received with visible joy and gratitude, and it became clear that something as small as a few kind words could uplift hearts and give strength.

The atmosphere during this time was quietly powerful—students giving to students, not because they were told to, but because they understood what it means to walk a difficult road and still rise. It was empathy in action, a reminder that even when we come from different worlds, we can still meet each other with kindness and dignity.

This project was more than just an outreach; it was a message: “We see you. We believe in you. And we are walking this journey with you.”

Project Two: A Place to Be a Child – Giving Joy and Shelter to Malaika Orphanage

Malaika Orphanage, nestled in the heart of Hillbrow, is home to 150 children who have been abandoned or left without families due to heartbreaking circumstances, often related to substance abuse. The building they live in is run-down, with no lights and a collapsing roof, yet within those fragile walls, a group of kind-hearted individuals provide the children with safety, meals, and love. Sustained largely by the dedication of student volunteers from the University of the Witwatersrand and small donations from businesses like Debonairs, Malaika continues to exist through the unwavering generosity of others

In partnership with the Balloon Foundation, which supports children from Malaika by relocating them to safer spaces, like the Usmania Centre and Ehsaas Welfare in Walkerville, the Girls' College embarked on a mission to offer more than just donations—they brought joy, dignity, and moments of childhood to those who needed them most.

In the weeks leading up to Mandela Day, our students across Grades 8-11 wholeheartedly engaged in preparation:

• Grade 8s built and painted garden beds, and donated seeds to help grow foods, such as spinach, tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.
• Grade 9s created vibrant literacy and numeracy boards and collected whiteboard markers and colouring pens.
• Grade 10s donated wool and crochet needles, crafting scarves and beanies by hand.
• Grade 11s made soft fleece blankets and donated extra materials to wrap each child in warmth.

When Mandela Day arrived, a group of 40 students boarded the bus to Walkerville, their hearts full and their arms carrying boxes of everything prepared. The Balloon Foundation arranged for the children still living at the Hillbrow orphanage to join us at the Walkerville centre for a special Fun Day. As our students arrived at the centre, they were greeted with open arms and warm smiles. It was a chilly morning, but the excitement in the air was undeniably warm. Before the formal activities began, there was laughter, hugs, and a quiet understanding between our students and the children—strangers in name, but not in spirit.

The day began with a light snack for each child, consisting of biscuits, water, and an orange.

Then the centre burst into life.

In one corner of the yard, children and students mixed compost and soil, then knelt side by side to plant the first vegetables in the garden beds built by the Grade 8 students — hands dirty, hearts full. Elsewhere, squeals of delight filled the air as spontaneous soccer matches broke out, children sprinting across the open space, tumbling, laughing, chasing the ball like it was the greatest treasure in the world

There were skipping ropes snapping against the ground in rhythm, students dancing through fitness circuits, babies scribbling on colouring pages with the help of gentle hands, and proud older kids being taught how to crochet by teenagers, only slightly older than themselves. The face-painting corner buzzed with giggles as animals, hearts, and stars bloomed across cheeks. In the kitchen, another group of students was hard at work, preparing lunch and making burgers from scratch. A final group broke out into TikTok challenges and Amapiano dance routines, the music echoing with joy as students and children moved together in sync, forgetting the outside world for a moment.

It was a space transformed, not just by the activities, but by the presence of love.

Then came lunch. Burgers, Nik Naks, and juice were served. For many of the children, it was their first time holding a burger. Some nibbled curiously at each layer, unsure of what to do with it, before eventually taking full bites, their eyes wide with delight.

The day closed with a heartfelt performance from the dance group, twirls, smiles, and claps filled the space, before students distributed gifts based on each child’s age:

• Ages 3–5 received ABC and 123 boards with a whiteboard marker and a soft blanket.
• Ages 6–12 received colouring books, colouring pens, and a blanket.
• Ages 13–18 received a handmade scarf, a beanie, and a blanket.

The Malaika Orphanage in Hillbrow was also gifted 100 tins of beans and fish left over from a previous food drive, along with additional groceries to help feed the children in the weeks to come.

But the impact didn’t end there. To help the Walkerville centre accommodate more children, the Operations Department at St Stithians College generously donated wardrobes, desks, doors, carpets, lighting, and lockers. With these items, more children from the orphanage in Hillbrow can soon be moved to a safe, warm, and structured home—a place where they can be children again.

This day would not have been possible without the support of our Girls’ College parents. Thank you for always responding with such generosity whenever we reach out. Your willingness to give is deeply moving, and we are truly grateful. When our students were unable to complete all the scarves, blankets and beanies, many of you stepped in to finish them at home. Your kindness and love were present in every stitch and felt in every detail of the day.

To our students, thank you. Thank you for showing up after school, for crafting and creating, for giving up your Saturdays, and most of all, for loving wholeheartedly.

To our supporters:

• Thank you to the Operations Department for donating furniture and allowing us to use your tools and paint for the garden.
• Thank you to United Muslim Meat Supply for donating the burger patties that made lunch so memorable.
• Thank you to the Balloon Foundation for partnering with us and helping to make this day such a meaningful success.

Together, we didn’t just donate, we created memories. We planted seeds, both in the garden and in the hearts of the children.

Siyabonga.