This year marked the 10th anniversary since the struggle icon Nelson Mandela died, but his legacy lives on through Mandela Day. Commemorating this Mandela Day, Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) employees dedicated their 67 minutes to doing charitable activities in the community.
Madiba was pro-education and an advocate for equality and access to education, and RDM Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) graduates followed in Madiba’s footsteps by delivering inspiring two separate motivational talks, one in Zandvliet, at Macassar Secondary, and another in KwaZulu-Natal, at Sonyongwana High School, igniting the spark of ambition.
The empowerment talks focused on career development, leadership and overcoming challenges. While touching base on common challenges facing youth, such as teenage pregnancy and substance abuse, the AGP graduates implored learners to focus on their education and improve their lives. Sharing their own career experiences, the AGP graduates highlighted possible career choices learners could consider after completing Grade 12, emphasising the importance of such subjects as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
This Mandela Day also sparked friendly competition among RDM employees and team spirit as teams challenged one another on who would collect the most items. Teams actively participated in the donation drive and experienced first-hand the joy of giving back and the power of collective action.
Focusing on giving back to the community, the Boksburg RDM team visited Magalelagase Primary, located in Wadeville, where they donated dignity packs and refurbished school desks. RDM employees embraced this spirit of giving by donating non-perishable food, blankets and warm clothes in an effort to support those less fortunate. In Somerset West, donated food was handed over to local soup kitchens in Macassar. Some of the activities included minor renovations at the orphanage in Boskop and a pop-up soup kitchen at Greenfield Community Library, Wellington.
The response from RDM’s employees was overwhelming; it truly displayed the Spirit of ubuntu, with donation boxes filling up fast throughout the days leading to Mandela Day. The RDM Human Resources facilitated collecting and distributing the donated items, ensuring they reached the intended recipients promptly. The generosity displayed by the RDM employees showcased their compassion and commitment to making a difference in their host communities.
