The Faculty of Humanities Student Academic Chapter (FHUM-SAC) at the North-West University’s (NWU’s) Mahikeng Campus commemorated Mandela Month by donating essential food items and clothing to Legae Child Care Centre, reaffirming the university's commitment to caring, inclusivity and community engagement.
On 30 July 2026, FHUM-SAC visited Legae Child Care Centre as part of its Mandela Month outreach initiative, bringing together the university, local businesses and community members to support vulnerable children and families.
The initiative was conceptualised and coordinated by Yolisa Malgas, the faculty community stakeholder engagement officer, who partnered with the NWU Library and Boxer Store Mahikeng Station to mobilise donations.
Through the Boxer Store's Ubuntu Donation Programme, the Legae Centre received more than 15 essential grocery items, including maize meal, rice, samp and other household necessities. Student leaders also donated clothing for children of various ages, while students from across the university contributed additional food items.
Welcoming the delegation, Legae Child Care Centre founder Memorie Herholdt and manager Bonno Sekgetho expressed heartfelt appreciation for the support received.
"As Legae Child Care Centre, we are grateful for these donations. They do not just make a difference in one person's life, but they bring about change in the whole community. We feed between 150 and 200 children during school terms and more than 300 children during school holidays."
Bonno explained that the centre operates seven days a week with the goal of addressing child hunger within the community.
"We are open from Monday to Sunday with the aim of ending malnutrition. Our dream is to provide every child with two meals a day, especially over weekends and during school holidays when they do not receive meals at school."
She also highlighted the dedication of the centre's volunteers despite ongoing financial challenges.
"We have amazing volunteers who provide love, care and psychosocial support. Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient funding to compensate them adequately, and many volunteers come and go because of these financial constraints."
Emphasising the importance of continued partnerships, she encouraged organisations and potential funders to continue supporting the centre.
"These kinds of donations are greatly needed. While we sometimes receive donations once a month, the children experience hunger every day. We would be grateful to receive this kind of support from the university and other potential funders more regularly. Stationery donations would also greatly assist the children in their education."
Reflecting on the success of the initiative, Yolisa thanked all stakeholders who made the outreach possible.
"We are grateful to every individual who donated. It truly takes a village to raise a child. On behalf of the FHUM-SAC, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Boxer Store Mahikeng Station for their Ubuntu Donation, the NWU Library staff members for their generous contributions, and my fellow student leaders whose commitment made this initiative a success."
This Mandela Month outreach demonstrates the impact that collaborative community engagement can have in addressing social challenges. Through initiatives such as these, FHUM-SAC continues to advance the university's vision of producing socially responsible graduates while strengthening relationships with communities through acts of compassion, service and sustainable partnerships.
The Faculty of Humanities Student Academic Chapter (FHUM-SAC) at the NWU’s Mahikeng Campus commemorated Mandela Month by donating essential food items and clothing to Legae Child Care Centre.
