This Mandela day a total of 1,080 adults and children gathered at the Market Hall in GrandWest, to devote 67 minutes of their time to pack meals in honour of the late President Nelson Mandela.
The adult volunteers, which included staff from NPO Rise Against Hunger (RAH), GrandWest and other corporate businesses such as Nedbank, Standard Bank, Absa, Avis, Sanlam and Good Hope FM, all worked alongside 42 learners and three educators from Elswood, Bellville South and Rocklands High Schools.
From 9am to 1pm the Market Hall was transformed into a streamlined packing facility with 24 teams forming production lines staffed by 432 volunteers per session. Each team worked for 67 minutes before being replaced by the next team.
- Over the course of just under five hours the group packed 114 boxes, equivalent to 240 624 individual meals which will feed over 1 046 children per year through school feeding schemes.
An entry fee is levied for each corporate team. GrandWest donated R64 750 for learners and staff from the schools to participate. The company also waivers the cost of hiring the Market Hall. The money raised from fees is used to buy the dry ingredients and to cover basic packaging costs.
This year the food packing initiative at GrandWest forms part of a bigger national RAH effort to pack a total of 2.5-million meals during July to support 225 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres across South Africa for a full year.
Each meal is planned to deliver optimal nutrition to children. The bags are packed with highly nutritious dehydrated meals consisting of rice, soya, soup mix and a vitamin sachet containing 23 essential vitamins and minerals. GrandWest’s Executive Chef Keshan Rambarun used his culinary flair to create dishes for all the volunteers by using the basic ingredients in the food packs.
GrandWest’s General Manager Mervyn Naidoo said, “Thank you to all the schools, small businesses, big corporates and all our staff, who make a difference every year. Every person who volunteers their two hands for just 67 minutes, once a year, helps us to pack well over a quarter of a million meals. Thank you too for bringing such a fun, energetic spirit every year. We look forward to welcoming you back this year.”
During last year’s Mandela Month food packing campaign, a total of 11 500 volunteers and 115 corporates joined the cause.
“These numbers are more than just statistics,” said Brian Nell CEO. “They represent real children with real futures being nourished thanks to the power of collective action. Mandela Day 2025 is our opportunity to go even further.”
