67 Minutes Can Change 20,000 Lives Through One Powerful Act Of Giving

Every year, Mandela Day asks the same quiet question. What will you do with your 67 minutes? The answer is not always simple. The will is there. The heart is there. What is often missing is a clear, practical way to take part in something that is well organised, genuinely useful and able to reach the people who need it most.

For Mandela Day 2026, Ladles of Love is making that choice easier.

The organisation is calling on companies, schools, families, students, and communities to become Hands-On Heroes in support of the nutrition and education of 20,000 small children at preschools in impoverished communities across South Africa.

This year’s Hands-On events will take place at two flagship venues: DHL Stadium in Cape Town on Friday, 17 July 2026, and the Johannesburg EXPO Centre on Wednesday, 22 July 2026.

The idea is simple. The groundwork has been done. All participants need to do is arrive, choose an activity and give their time with purpose.

“Nelson Mandela reminded us that, ‘It is in your hands to create a better world for all our children.’ That line has real weight for us,” says Danny Diliberto, Founder of Ladles of Love. “We want people to feel that their 67 minutes are not symbolic only. They are making something useful. They are helping feed small children. They are supporting preschool learning. They are part of something practical, joyful and deeply needed.”

At each flagship event, volunteers will take part in one of four activation zones: Make, Create, Craft or Grow. Each zone has been designed so that participants can produce hand-made items that support children’s daily nutrition, early learning and care.

In the Make Zone, volunteers can join the Sarmiethon, a lively 67-minute challenge to make as many sandwiches as possible for vulnerable people in need. They can also pack nutrition boxes filled with pantry items selected from a preschool grocery list developed with nutritional needs in mind.

In the Create Zone, participants will create preschool posters, flashcards, and activity workbooks to support early childhood learning.

In the Craft Zone, volunteers will create teaching aids, such as bean bags, puppets, and veggie trucks, to bring lessons on food, colour, movement, and language to life.

In the Grow Zone, participants will build grow boxes with vegetable and herb seeds, supporting urban farmers who supply fresh produce to preschools.

The events are structured around four 90-minute time slots at 09h00, 11h00, 13h00 and 15h00, allowing individuals and groups to book a time that works for them. Corporate teams can use the experience as meaningful team building, with options including group bookings, meal packages, fast-track entry, reserved seating, branding opportunities, and a motivational talk by Danny Diliberto.

Tickets are booked through www.LadlesofLove.org.za. Individual tickets are R300 and are considered a donation that helps provide a child with two healthy meals a day. Discounted tickets for students and pensioners are R200. Group and corporate packages are also available on the site, with Section 18A tax certificates and CSI affidavits applicable to all tickets and packages.

Ladles of Love has built its reputation on turning goodwill into practical action. What began in 2014 as one small soup kitchen in Cape Town has grown into a respected hunger relief organisation with programmes that provide regular healthy meals to vulnerable children and people in need.

Become a Hands-On Hero. Help nurture our future leaders.