July is Mandela Month, and Vodacom is running their month-long Festival of Giving to align with the initiative created in Madiba's name and spirit.

The goal of the campaign is to inspire employee volunteerism, community upliftment, and sustainable impact across South Africa, and this year's theme is “Love for My Job, Colleagues, Community, and Customers”.

Vodacom’s National Festival of Giving Initiative

The Festival of Giving is a national initiative roping in Vodacom employees from all regions to volunteer for various programmes. These include the following:

- Classroom refurbishments and nutrition support - Gauteng North

- Support for abused and orphaned children - Gauteng South

- Food pack drives - Western Region

- Youth empowerment workshops - Botshabelo, Central Region

- Career days and eLearning demos - Mpumalanga

- Environmental clean-ups, shelter volunteering, and soup kitchen drives - Eastern Region

- School donations - KwaZulu-Natal

- Veggie gardens, blankets, school shoes, and youth engagement - Limpopo

These programmes will run from 10 to 25 July 2025 and strive to empower youth and communities, promote food security and sustainability, and achieve meaningful social impact.

The Main Event

In addition to the month-long campaign, Vodacom will also host a flagship Festival of Giving event. This will take place on Mandela Day (18 July 2025) at the Vodacom Amphitheatre in Midrand and will involve 576 employees participating in multiple impactful activities.

Key focus areas and activities include:

- Hands of Hope

- Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship

- Food Security and Nourishment

- Community Collaboration and Partnerships

Highlights of the main event at Midrand include four volunteer stations delivering:

- 1,000 food packs

- 1,000 comfort kits for GBV survivors

- 1,000 eco bricks as part of a recycling initiative

- 20 mobile gardens supporting Meals on Wheels

This event is for Vodacom staff only, and to gain entry, participants must donate teddy bears to the WMACA Kidz Clinics. Besides the above programs, there will also be a market and exhibitions where our NPO partners will be profiled.

Vodacom is a proud, purpose-driven corporate entity that strives to connect for a better future by empowering people, protecting the planet and maintaining trust. The Festival of Giving is one of many initiatives run by the tech company, building on its legacy of purpose-driven corporate citizenship by bringing together employees, partners, and communities to create lasting change.