As the festive season rolls around once again, a small donation could spread considerable cheer to underprivileged children around KwaDukuza.

The Santa Shoebox Project – Ballito 2026 opened for pledges on Tuesday and hopes to reach 1 600 children between the ages of one and 15. There is a particularly exciting opportunity this year to reach 28 facilities around KwaDukuza that have never previously received Santa Shoebox gifts.

If you would like to pledge a shoebox, the following items must be included: Toothpaste, toothbrush, bar of soap, wash cloth, an outfit of clothing, educational supplies, sweets and a toy. Items must be new and an entire box must be made up for a specific age and gender to be allocated correctly. Alternatively, you can pledge a shoebox with a monetary donation and the team will create one for you.

In Ballito, drop-off locations and times can be found at santashoebox.org.za, which also has all the other information you may need on the process. The Ballito co-ordinator is Lewaine von Allemann, who can be reached at lewaine@santashoebox.org.za or 082 378 1912 for more details.