Mandela Day care package drive: standing with survivors of sexual violence
For nearly 50 years, Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust has walked alongside survivors of rape and sexual violence, offering counselling, advocacy, and community education. On 18 July 2025, the organisation will once again host its deeply meaningful Mandela Day Care Package Drive.
This event invites the public to take real, compassionate action by helping pack care packages for survivors receiving post-rape support at Thuthuzela Care Centres. These small bags include toiletries and a fresh change of clothes — often the first sign of comfort and dignity a survivor receives after trauma.
What started in 2015 as a response to community interest has grown into one of Rape Crisis’s most important annual moments. It is a chance for volunteers and supporters to transform empathy into action.
As Director Nazma Hendricks explains, “A motivating factor behind the creation of this Care Pack Drive was to honour Nelson Mandela’s legacy of dignity for all. We invite South Africans and others around the world to be a part of exactly this.”
How you can get involved
- Donate funds to help purchase items for care packs
- Drop off toiletries or clothing at the Observatory office (23 Trill Road)
- Join the packing event in person
Each care pack is more than a gesture. It is a moment of healing, a sign that someone cares, and a reaffirmation that it is still in our hands to combat poverty, violence, and inequity.
Contact
Jameelah Domingo
Fundraising Officer