You can celebrate Mandela Day and the Santa Shoebox Project’s 20th anniversary by making your 67 minutes count in just 67 seconds.
South Africa (18 July 2026) – Today is Mandela Day, and as many charities and groups call on South Africans to give 67 minutes of their time to a worthy cause, the Santa Shoebox Project (SSP) is offering a way for those who may not have those minutes to spare to still make an impact in a matter of seconds!
As SSP celebrates its milestone 20th anniversary, it invites all South Africans, including the expat diaspora abroad, and every person who loves the country and calls it home, to be part of its #BeautifulStory.
The public can pledge a Virtual Santa Shoebox (VSS) and watch how hard it works.
While a traditional shoebox brings joy to an individual child, the VSS is a powerhouse of systemic change. Proceeds from these boxes fund the SSP Legacy initiatives, which include the building of schools, the installation of fully equipped reading corners in schools, the supply of books, the empowerment of craftswomen, and the critical training of Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers.
“It’s dynamite in a small package. No donation you make today will work harder,” says Santa Shoebox Project CEO Deb Zelezniak.
“Because we source our shoebox components from other NPOs – organisations focused on skills development and the economic empowerment of women – your one gift serves many causes simultaneously. Schools are built, teachers are trained, children get the resources they need, and an entire sector is strengthened, all by a single R500 box.”
The impact of these funds is tangible. To date, the SSP Legacy arm has directly reached over 182 000 children, while the project as a whole has reached more than 1.5 million beneficiaries in its two decades.
Current projects include the completion of the Project’s eighth school build at Reaiteka Pre-School in the Northern Cape, where every detail – down to the height of the preschooler-sized stairs and the differing bright colours of the classroom doors to make them easily distinguishable – is designed to foster independence and the “I can” spirit in small children. The school is being unveiled to the Maruping community next week.
For those with a busy schedule this Mandela Day, the Virtual Santa Shoebox offers an impactful alternative that takes only 67 seconds to complete. These boxes are available year-round on the SSP website and are allocated to children in far-flung rural facilities where donors may not be able to deliver physical boxes.
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Penguin Palooza Waddles Back to Stony Point Soon!“We believe that quality early education is the most powerful catalyst to break the cycle of poverty,” Zelezniak continues.
“By pledging a virtual box, you are providing a child with the tools to succeed while building the infrastructure they need to thrive”.
To pledge your Virtual Santa Shoebox, please visit: https://santashoebox.org.za/virtual-santa-shoebox/ – and write your own chapter in SSP’s #BeautifulStory.
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