Futurelife partners with the Nelson Mandela Foundation to bring hope and fight hunger

To celebrate Madiba’s birthday month, the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Futurelife, have initiated a programme to assist children from destitute backgrounds.

An Early Childhood Development (ECD), Telesmurfs, in Soweto is a beneficiary of the programme which seeks to fight hunger and create an adequate learning environment for children.

The partners donated groceries and blankets to Telesmurfs with The Star newspaper joining the initiative, which aims to keep Nelson Mandela's legacy alive.

Managing director of Futurelife, Mark Bunn, said that the harsh reality was that malnutrition and hunger was rife among many of South Africa’s children.

“Futurelife is a brand that believes in health, hope and happiness and that all people should have access to these through good nutrition. Our partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation Early Childhood Development Programme will allow us to pursue this vision and will help us reach the children who will really benefit from our smart nutrition,” said Bunn.

Sthembisile Hellen Maphalala, the principal at the Telesmurfs ECD centre shared what Nelson Mandela meant to her.

“This day means a lot to me and my kids because if it was not for Mandela who fought for us, I would not have had an ECD centre. So it helps us a lot in also getting exposure so that we can open businesses.”

Maphalala who has a soft spot for kids said her family has always prioritized the needs of children and her sister Thobile Maphalala Nkabule was in the same line of work.

Maphalala said that the donation of vital foods would help the children at the centre get a balanced meal. She said that the crèche does not compel parents to pay fees because it did not want children to be denied an education due to lack of funds.

“We sustain ourselves with school fees and some parents help donate something. Sometimes parents buy what they can and give it to us.“

She said her wish was to opening a bigger crèche to cater for the massive need for ECD centres on Soweto.

“I wish I can get land and open a bigger centre where I would accommodate all children. Even children that they say are autistic can come to my centre because I normally say that no child is disabled. Every child is a star, that is our slogan, “said Maphalala

She requested donations to help achieve the dream of seeing the education of Soweto’s children being advanced.