Planting hope: Mandela Day 2025 brings new life to Growing Seeds Pre-School
The Nelson Mandela Foundation has completed its Mandela Day 2025 project at Growing Seeds Pre-School in Berea, Johannesburg, a transformation that now provides a safer play area, a greener space, and improved nutrition for children in this under-resourced community.
This activation was inspired by this year’s Mandela Day call to action: “It is still in your hands to combat poverty and inequity.” That call was answered with hands in the soil, laughter in the air, and a shared determination to make a lasting difference.
The work is now finished, and its impact is clear:
- A vegetable garden is flourishing, giving the school fresh produce to supplement meals and introducing children to the importance of growing food.
- Safer play areas have been created with new paving, grass, and play sand, giving children space to run, ride scooters, and play freely, something they could not do before.
- A cleaner and upgraded aftercare facility now provides a more dignified environment for children to learn and grow.
“This was not just an act of service; it was a commitment to Madiba’s vision of dignity, hope, and equality for every child,” said Nelson Mandela Foundation CEO Dr. Mbongiseni Buthelezi. “Each of us has the power to do something meaningful. This project is a reminder that small acts, done collectively, change lives.”
The Foundation continues to encourage individuals, communities, and organisations everywhere to follow Madiba’s example, to do what they can, with what they have, where they are, and to make every day a Mandela Day.