For 2023, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has made it their mission to not only work towards ending poverty but also to counter climate change in the process. Vodacom is supporting that cause this Mandela Month by engaging in various activities, aligning themselves with the Foundation's #ItsInYourHands campaign.
What is #ItsInYourHands?
For Nelson Mandela International Day, the Foundation wants to encourage people around the world through their global partnership to use their hands to make a difference in the world. The mission this year is to plant trees and gardens not only to aid in combating climate change but also to provide sustenance for the poor.
How is Vodacom getting involved?
Vodacom is putting its weight behind this campaign with their own initiative called the Festival of Giving. With this, they are inviting staff and colleagues from various Vodacom regional offices to join the cause in making a difference while reigniting Nelson Mandela International Day's global reach.
Engage with the Festival of Giving
The Festival of Giving is already underway, with the Eastern Cape regional office taking the lead by participating in good causes on July 3rd and 10th. They spent the day at Mbutho Primary School in Umtata refurbishing the facility, handing out food parcels, and planting a food garden. They were at it again on the 10th, this time at an ECD in East London.
The Vodacom office in Midrand also kicked off their Festival of Giving campaign, hosting a market on the 12th that focused on food security. For their activation, Vodacom staff sold items at a market day to raise funds for The Lunchbox Fund, Food Forward SA, Rise Against Hunger and ACFS. On 18 July staff also volunteered in one of five activities:
Harvest Helpers: Building food gardens which will go to Rise Against Hunger ECDs and WF Nkomo.
Micro Volunteering: Staff was encouraged to sign up for NPO’s social media pages and register for NPO newsletters etc.
Jars of Hope: Filling jars with ingredients for a hearty soup that will be donated to students of ECD.
Hope Packs: Packing food parcels with nourishing meals, 750 of which will be donated to auxiliary staff on the Vodacom Campus.
There will also be various donation bins at the event for items like cooking utensils, gardening utensils, maize meal, oats, soup ingredients, and stock.
These regional offices are continuing their campaigns on Mandela Day, while others will also have their own activations under the Festival of Giving banner, some running beyond the official Mandela Day. Below are the remaining activations:
Vodacom Midrand:
July 18: Festival of Giving at Vodacom Midrand Campus.
Vodacom Western Region:
July 18: Packing Care Packs, Jars of Hope, and inviting learners from Just Grace NPO at the Regional office in Century City.
Vodacom Polokwane:
July 17: Borehole Opening and Veg Garden at Moshate Village.
July 18: Borehole Opening in Mokogolobotho Village.
July 19: Borehole Opening and Veg Garden at Tshiuwi Village.
July 20: Borehole Opening in Praktiseer.
July 21: Limpopo Department of Education Handover of 30k sims.
Vodacom Free State:
July 14: Painting at Kelly Cares NPO in Kroonstad.
July 18: Handover of stationery packs, blankets, and food at Kelly Cares in Kroonstad.
July 21: Handover of clothing and blankets, as well as serving lunch, at Lebone Village in Bloemfontein.
Vodacom Nelspruit:
July 18: Staff ICT training at Kanyamazane Centre and distribution of stationery packs.
July 21: Packing of Care Packs for Grip at Regional Office.
Vodacom Durban:
July 21: Kwa Mashu Child and Family Welfare Org Upgrading of facilities and donation of educational equipment.
Vodacom Eastern Cape:
July 18: Working with Exhibition for a Child in PE at an ECD.
July 18: Working with Exhibition for a Child in George at an Old Age Home donating blankets knitted by staff.
