Beyond 67 Minutes: What It Means to Show Up for Children

What happens when people decide to show up for children?

That was the spirit of Mandela Day at Leratong Educare Centre, where the Nelson Mandela Foundation came together with Golf 4 a Cause, PLK Savages and Mphahlele & Masipa Attorneys to spend the day with the children and support the centre with some of its most immediate needs.

During a visit to the centre, one of the first things we noticed was how cold the classrooms were. The centre had only one heater, which staff had to move between classrooms to keep the children warm.  As an adult, if I am cold, I can choose to put on another layer or move somewhere warmer. A young child cannot. I could only imagine what it must feel like to sit in a cold classroom and try to learn, play and concentrate.

So, we decided to do something about it. The centre received gas heaters and cylinders, mattresses, blankets and books. These may seem like simple things, but for an ECD centre serving children from vulnerable communities, they can make a meaningful difference.

The centre's owner described the support as more than meeting practical needs. It restored a sense of hope and dignity to both the children and staff. 

“For our staff, this support reminds them that the work they do every day is seen and appreciated. It motivates us to continue giving our best despite the challenges we face.”

Mandela Day challenges us to ask what we can do in 67 minutes. At Leratong, the answer felt bigger than a single day of service. It was about responding to a need that had been identified a few days earlier and building relationships that continue long after the photographs have been taken.

It was also about giving the children something that cannot be bought: our time.

As part of the Foundation’s Make Reading Fun initiative, Bontle Mokgaotsi of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Oscar Mbongeni Ndlovu of Golf for a Cause read to the children, turning what could have simply been a reading session into a fun and interactive experience. 

The stories were read in English, with translation into Setswana and Sepedi, which created some funny and memorable moments as the children responded to the stories in their own languages.

And the children had fun. They danced, played, laughed and sang. They took pictures and they got to simply be children. For me, that is an important part of what Mandela Day represents. We often think about service in terms of what we can give. A blanket. A book. A meal. A heater. But sometimes what someone needs most is for us to simply show up. 

The owner of Leratong Educare Centre reflected on the importance of the Make Reading Fun activity and the books received, saying: “The programme reminded us that reading is not simply about recognising words; it is about understanding, imagining, asking questions and developing critical thinking skills.”

This is why Early Childhood Development matters. The first years of a child’s life lay the foundation for how they learn, communicate and understand the world around them. When we create safer, warmer, and more stimulating spaces for children, we are doing more than improving an ECD centre. We are investing in the people they will become. Among these children are future teachers, scientists, artists, entrepreneurs and leaders. Their journeys may look very different, but each begins with the same basic need: to be cared for, encouraged and given the opportunity to learn.

This is also why Mandela Day cannot be reduced to what happens on 18 July. At the Nelson Mandela Foundation, our work in ECD is part of a much bigger commitment to advancing equity and social justice. Through our work supporting ECD registration, we work alongside government to help centres access registration and the subsidies that can make a meaningful difference to some of South Africa’s most marginalised communities.

Mandela’s legacy asks us to look beyond ourselves. It asks us to recognise where there is a need and ask, “What can I do?”

At Leratong, the answer came from many people. Different organisations. Different skills. Different resources. One community. And in less than 48 hours, they came together to create a day that the children will hopefully remember for a long time.

Perhaps that is what going beyond 67 minutes looks like. Not one big act of heroism, but ordinary people deciding to show up, contribute what they can and make a difference together.

Because Mandela’s legacy was never about one person doing everything. It was about what becomes possible when we all play our part.