Mandela Day, celebrated annually on 18 July, is a global call to action emphasising the idea that each individual has the power to transform the world and make an impact. In South Africa, people are encouraged to volunteer 67 minutes of their time in honour of the 67 years Nelson Mandela dedicated to fighting for social justice.

While the influx of volunteers on Mandela Day is appreciated, nonprofits desperately need meaningful and sustainable support, not just a one-day surge of well-intentioned but often unhelpful activities. There is an expectation that nonprofits should be grateful for the influx of volunteers and have a series of "easy" activities for the volunteers to engage with. Most nonprofits simply do not have the capacity to create and manage 67-minute activities, and these short stints are highly unlikely to actually benefit the organisation or their beneficiaries. Does a nonprofit really need to take the time to indulge a group of executives in business suits doing a poor job of planting a tree? 

As volunteers, it's important to remember that nonprofits don't owe you a feel-good experience or an Instagram-worthy moment. They need your skills, your dedication, and your on-going support.

The Problem with Volunteering for Optics

Too often, Mandela Day is marked by volunteers engaging in activities that are more about optics than impact. These acts, while good-hearted, often lack the depth and sustainability needed to create real change. For instance, a poorly organised soup kitchen might waste the little food and ingredients they have, or a badly painted children’s home might need to be re-painted, adding the cost of labour and paint to an already overstretched organisational budget. These superficial activities may make for great Instagram photos but fail to provide any lasting benefit to the communities they aim to serve, and at their worst, can be costly to the nonprofit. 

Brenda Scheepers, founder of Angel Projects and Founder/MD of Knoop Academy NPC, offers a critical perspective:

“When I owned Angel Projects, July was my busiest month, often doing projects in 3 different provinces in the same week for different branches of the company. One company used to pay me a deposit in the first week of January just to secure my services on the 18th. It was a crazy race to get us booked. I was a novice then... still learning about sustainable impact versus 'charity'.

Fast forward 10 years later, and I often wonder what Madiba would've said about that random fence in the middle of a crèche playground, or the 40 people arriving to paint one wall in some obscure colour without consulting the owner of the property... all in the name of 67 minutes of giving back.”

These acts, while good-hearted, often lack the depth and sustainability needed to create real change.

Instead of focusing on activities that look good on social media, volunteers should consider asking what the nonprofits needs. So many people think volunteering is limited to activities like serving soup, rather than taking the time to understand how to contribute in ways that align the volunteer's skills with the nonprofit's needs. If you're an accountant, why not offer to help a nonprofit with their financial planning or bookkeeping? If you're a lawyer, could you provide pro bono legal services or assist with contract reviews? These contributions are often far more valuable and sustainable than just 67 minutes of physical labour that you are likely not skilled in.

Sustainable Support: Beyond 67 Minutes

Mandela Day should be a reminder of the continuous effort required to create lasting change, not just a day for performative acts of kindness. Meaningful volunteer work extends beyond the 67 minutes once a year. If you want to make sandwiches or serve soup, that is wonderful! But don’t do that for just 67 minutes once a year on 18 July. Could you commit to at least 67 minutes every month instead? This kind of engagement not only helps the nonprofit and their beneficiaries but also builds a deeper connection between you and the cause.

Brenda Scheepers offers practical advice:

 “There is an opportunity to have an impact with some good planning and common sense. Here are a few important tips for corporate volunteers:

• Always ask what the beneficiary really needs.
• Plan Mandela Day to be a small part of a bigger project, not your biggest, or even worse, only project for the year.
• Ask yourself how sustainable the project is. Will you set someone up for disappointment if you don't come back again in August to do the same?
• Don’t use Mandela Day as a marketing opportunity to promote your own company at the expense of the beneficiaries. Always be respectful and ask permission to take photos of anyone or anything.
• Support high-impact organisations in what they are already doing. Join hands, don’t reinvent the wheel.
• Make sure that if you are working with a nonprofit, you also include their expenses for the day. Expecting them to allocate key staff and other resources to entertain you for the day costs money.
• Never leave a project unfinished!”

As volunteers, it's important to remember that nonprofits don't owe you a feel-good experience or an Instagram-worthy moment. They need your skills, your dedication, and your on-going support so that they can best serve those in need. On this Mandela Day, let's shift focus from what looks good to what does good. 

By offering professional skills and committing to ongoing support, we can honour Nelson Mandela's legacy in a way that truly makes a difference. After all, real change isn't about the photo op—it’s about the impact we leave behind.

 With thanks to Brenda Scheepers, Founder/MD of Knoop Academy NPC: http://www.knoop.org.za