GCRO staff make grocery donations for Mandela Day project

The late great Nelson Mandela - a beloved global figure - once said, “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity, it is an act of justice. Like slavery and apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings". It was in spirit of the departed icon that GCRO staff members donated groceries to needy families on Nelson Mandela International Day. (The Nelson Mandela International Day is an annual international day in honour of Nelson Mandela, celebrated each year on 18 July, Mandela's birthday. The global theme for Mandela International Day 2023 is ‘The Legacy Lives on Through You: Climate, Food & Solidarity’ and reflects some of the most urgent challenges facing people worldwide.) This act of service by GCRO staffers pays tribute to the legacy of Nelson Mandela, who dedicated his life to fighting for equality and justice in South Africa and thus inspired the world.

Rashid Seedat, Executive Director of the GCRO, next to groceries donated by GCRO staff members

This is not the first time that staff members at the GCRO have honoured Mandela Day thus. Since July 2020, the GCRO has been giving food packs to over 200 families that were severely affected by the COVID-19-induced lockdown. The food packs have been donated to some of our research participants' families, and have gone a long way in assisting communities in dire need of assistance and who may otherwise have been unable to get support from elsewhere. This year, the groceries were delivered to the Wits Citizenship and Community Outreach (WCCO). The WCCO, through its programmes, plays a vital role in supporting students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. If you wish to extend support to students and disadvantaged families in the spirit of Mandela International Day, please contact Aqeelah.Hendrickse@wits.ac.za.

GCRO staffers just prior to delivering groceries to the WCCO