For one group of City Power employees, serving the community on July 16 meant more than restoring electricity – it meant restoring hope.

Staff members from City Power’s Hursthill Service Delivery Centre (SDC) came together to support Roosevelt Park-based Marang House, a home that provides accommodation for children from across the country while they undergo life-saving medical treatment.

The initiative saw employees personally donate groceries, household essentials and hygiene products after learning about the home’s work.

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According to Hursthill SDC communications officer Zaheera Vrey, Marang House was a natural choice for the team’s first outreach project. “When we learnt about the challenges these children and their caregivers face, we knew this was where we wanted to make a difference,” she said.

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The idea originated with Vrey and quickly gained momentum among colleagues.
“Everyone then embraced the opportunity to give back practically.”

Rather than relying on company funding, staff chose to contribute from their own pockets. “This initiative came from the hearts of our employees. Every contribution reflected genuine compassion and a shared desire to help children who need it most,” Vrey said.

She said the response from colleagues exceeded expectations, with staff eagerly donating essential items and helping organise the collection. Meeting the children and caregivers was one of the most memorable parts of the initiative. “Seeing the children’s smiles and hearing how much the donations would help reminded us that small acts of kindness can have a profound impact,” she said.

For the Hursthill team, the experience strengthened their belief that community service extends beyond their daily responsibilities. “Community outreach allows us to show people that we genuinely care about their well-being,” Vrey said.

The team hopes this is only the first of many outreach initiatives. The team reckons giving back doesn’t require a big budget. It just needs a group of committed people, each bringing what they can, to make a real difference.

Moving forward, they plan to continue identifying organisations where their collective efforts can help strengthen communities, one act of kindness at a time.

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