REDDAM House Umhlanga was a hive of activity on Monday as learners, staff, parents and volunteers joined hands to give back.

Learners from the prep and high school were involved in various activities from making sandwiches to packing meals to creating items for Early Childhood Development centres.

Educator at the school, Claire Sayer, said it was awesome to see the energy shown by the learners in their willingness to make a change.

“The school really lived up to our motto of ‘we shall give back’ and honoured Nelson Mandela’s legacy, too. Our younger grades made sandwiches which will be distributed to feeding schemes for disadvantaged communities by Grace Family Church. And then, learners from our other grades also helped pack meals for NPOs Rise Against Hunger and Clothes to Good.

“Rise Against Hunger is an international hunger relief organization that distributes food to the most vulnerable. Our goal today is to collect 90 000 meals packs. While Clothes to Good is a textile-recycling and disability-empowerment organisation that gives back to Early Childhood Development centres. We find great joy in empowering people and giving back,” Sayer said.

Keegan Corbett, director of the Umhlanga Rocks Super SPAR and Park Square SPAR, also donated hundreds of loaves of bread and spreads to be used for the sandwich drive.

“The vibe has been amazing. We work closely with Reddam and Grace Family Church, and it is so fulfilling to give back in this way. It has been a lot of fun, and to have the youngsters involved is great. I think it creates a bond between us and the community. This is all in keeping with the spirit of Nelson Mandela,” Corbett said.