Whether your heart is pulling you towards providing warm meals and essentials to the destitute, helping the unemployed or offering love and safety to orphaned children, every act of generosity can profoundly change lives this Mandela Day.
South Africa (11 July 2025) – Mandela Day, just a week away, offers a powerful opportunity for individuals and organisations to unite and create a lasting legacy in honour of Nelson Mandela. So, whether you have the time to volunteer 67 minutes (or more), or are in a position to make a meaningful contribution, here are some great causes you can support this year.
1. Life Changer
Life Changer understands that not everyone has the time to give 67 minutes, and that’s okay. But there’s still a real, powerful way to make a difference.
The organisation invites the general public to consider donating towards its efforts in buying and collecting sandwich fillings, blankets, sugar and Life Boat Vouchers, which offer someone a warm meal and a moment of hope.
Items can be dropped off at 7 Levy Street, Pietermaritzburg. Alternatively, those who would like to donate can sponsor a pack, a pair, or even just R67, which Life Changer will use wisely.
For more information, visit the Life Changer website.
2. Taking Care of Business
With the staggering unemployment rate, Taking Care of Business’s (TCB) Enterprise Development programmes, which train South Africans to become self-employed, are filling an essential gap.
This Mandela Day, you can assist TCB in its mission to help unemployed people on their journey to self-employment and independence.
The organisation requires various items used in its development programmes, including repair kits, small and large appliances (even if they are not working), sewing machines, sewing kits, sewing equipment, as well as donations. A single item can play a significant role in empowering and making a real difference to another South African’s life this year.
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For more information, visit TCB’s donations page.
3. Ingane Yami
Ingane Yami is a permanent children’s village just outside Hillcrest, providing love, safety, and purpose for orphaned and vulnerable children. For Mandela Day, the organisation has invited local coffee shops across the Upper Highway area to donate 67 cents from every cup of coffee sold during July to support the children at Ingane Yami.
The idea behind the campaign is simple but powerful: even the smallest acts of generosity can help change lives.
Participating coffee shops are: Café Sparrow, Bellevue Cafe, La Verdure Real Food Cafe, Crane Flower Coffee, VELVET. Coffee Co, One Grind, The Coffee Minista, Camp Orchards, Gofresh cafe and Open Skies Church.
So, coffee lovers, step out and go grab yourself a cuppa – it may be the best thing you do for a child in need.
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4. Chefs with Compassion
South Africans are invited to be part of a national act of compassion that turns surplus food into nourishment! Chefs with Compassion will be hosting its #67000litres for Mandela Day event on Friday, 18 July, at the HTA School of Culinary Arts in Randburg.
From 12:00 PM to 6:00 PM, chefs from all over Johannesburg will race against the clock to help achieve the goal of producing 67,000 litres of soup, all intended for communities in need. Expect engaging moments, exciting culinary action, and inspiring stories of compassion.
You can register here.
5. Oasis Haven
Johannesburg-based child and youth care centre Oasis Haven is calling on South Africans to move beyond symbolic gestures and give in ways that truly sustain NPOs.
This Mandela Day, Oasis Haven is inviting the public to partner with them in the following ways:
- Sponsor a child’s education- Help raise the R100,000 to cover school fees for 11 special children with additional needs.
- Keep the lights on – Contribute to utility and operational costs so more resources can be directed to education, therapy, and healthcare.
- Donate from the needs list – Support daily essentials such as food, clothing, transport, and medical care.
- Refresh the girls’ play area – Help repaint the jungle gym and playhouse to give the girls a joyful, updated space to enjoy.
Those interested can also register for a guided tour of the boys’ and girls’ homes, which offers an opportunity to meet the team and see firsthand how donations are used.
To get involved this Mandela Day, contact Oasis Haven at 011 678 8057 or qondani@oasishaven.org, or visit www.oasishaven.org
If you missed last week’s Mandela Day charity list, you can find it here.
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