Volunteers Who Went the Extra Mile: Simple Donation Turned Into an Unexpected Story of Kindness

Photo Credit: Nda Arsa via Pexels

Project Hope SA’s bid to collect 400kg of oranges hit a few bumps along the way, but dedicated volunteers proved that showing up matters just as much.

Hillcrest, South Africa (27 July 2026) – Not every donation comes with a simple collection.

After putting out a call for help to collect a massive donation of 400kg of oranges, KwaZulu-Natal non-profit Project Hope SA thought the hard part was over when volunteers Philippa and Rosco stepped in to lend a hand.

The pair immediately offered to collect the fruit from Kings Park Stadium and transport it to the organisation’s offices in Hillcrest. But when they arrived, they quickly realised there was one unexpected problem. There was no way hundreds of loose oranges could simply be loaded into a vehicle.

They did come up with a plan and returned the following day armed with hessian bags, and were ready to get the job done.

Unfortunately, a misunderstanding meant there were no oranges waiting for them. Back at Project Hope SA, staff member Zinhle and a volunteer had already prepared to sort and distribute the fruit to families in need, only to learn that the delivery would not be happening after all.

It was a disappointing outcome, but also a reminder of what happens behind the scenes at many non-profit organisations. Every donation requires planning, transport, volunteers, fuel and plenty of flexibility before it can reach the people who need it most.

“We’ve learnt in nonprofit work that no two days are ever the same. Sometimes the biggest challenge isn’t finding 400kg of oranges… it’s finding enough bags to carry them,” the organisation shared.

While the oranges never made it to Hillcrest this time, Project Hope SA said the kindness shown by Philippa and Rosco was worth celebrating.

The organisation thanked the pair for making two trips to Durban, adapting to changing circumstances and remaining willing to help despite everything not going according to plan.