Hundreds of volunteers pack food parcels at Wanderers Stadium ahead of Nelson Mandela Day
Just two days before the official celebration of Nelson Mandela Day, Ashraful Aid’s Mandela Day initiative brought together corporate volunteers from across Johannesburg to pack food parcels to feed the vulnerable.
Hundreds of volunteers from corporate companies across Johannesburg gathered at DP World Wanderers Stadium on July 16 to mark Nelson Mandela Day ahead of the official celebration on July 18, joining hands to pack 5 000 food parcels for vulnerable communities across South Africa.
Hosted by international humanitarian organisation Ashraful Aid, sponsored by DP World Wanderers Stadium and supported by various corporate companies, the annual initiative saw representatives from various companies dedicate their 67 minutes of service to making a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of people.
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Ashraful Aid event coordinator Sabira Asmal said the annual initiative has become an important way for businesses and individuals to honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela through meaningful community service.
“Together with corporate volunteers from the Johannesburg region, we come together at Wanderers Stadium to pack food parcels,” Asmal said.
“Companies come out to support the initiative as their community service initiative and their dedication to the
legacy of Nelson Mandela.”
She added that the food parcels will be distributed over the next eight to 12 weeks through Ashraful Aid’s regional offices in Gauteng, the Western Cape, KZN and other parts of the country, benefiting about 20 000 individuals.
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“We come together, give off and ask individuals to come and give off their 67 minutes to make a difference to humanity. It’s all the legacy of Madiba, and we’re here to do it in the spirit of ubuntu.”
Africa senior director for sustainability at DP World, Lauren Rota, said volunteering is core to their community impact and engagement strategy.
@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Hundreds of volunteers from corporate companies across Johannesburg gathered at DP World Wanderers Stadium for Ashraful Aid’s annual Nelson Mandela Day initiative, dedicating their 67 minutes to packing 5 000 food parcels. Organisers say the parcels will be distributed to vulnerable communities across South Africa over the coming weeks, bringing hope to about 20 000 people while honouring Madiba’s legacy of service and Ubuntu. Video: Xoliswa Zakwe #Sandton #dpworldwanderers #67 #Ashrafulaid #Madiba ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
“We look forward to this day and this initiative every single year. We come out as a team, roughly 200 people today, to roll up our sleeves outside of our day jobs and work together to make a meaningful impact and give hope to thousands of families across South Africa,” Rota said.
Reflecting on the significance of Mandela Day, Rota said, “It’s both about individually recognising the legacy and honouring the great Nelson Mandela, but it is also a very strong reminder that when we work together to take care of our communities, we can achieve so much more.”
Volunteer Nandumiso Nkosi from Awesome Travel said her organisation was proud to be part of the initiative.
“We decided to come out here on Mandela Day to give back to the people. You know, there are a lot of people who are less fortunate than we are. So, we, as a team, decided to volunteer our time and do something for the people.”
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