This year’s campaign is anchored by the theme: “A better climate future begins with the children – and this change starts with play.” With the increasing frequency of heatwaves, floods and droughts due to climate change, young children, especially those in vulnerable communities, are among the most affected. Many ECD centres operate in extreme heat, often lacking basic infrastructure like shaded areas, clean water, or safe play spaces.
Warren Farrer, CEO of the DO MORE FOUNDATION, says the need for collective action is urgent. “This Mandela Day, your contribution goes far beyond infrastructure; it’s an investment in a child’s future. We’re calling on South Africans to come together with purpose and compassion to help create safe, nurturing spaces where children can learn, play and grow, even as the climate changes around them.”
Change Starts with Play
Since its founding in 2017, the DO MORE FOUNDATION has established a powerful network of partnerships focused on improving the lives of young children across South Africa. In 2024, its ‘Mandela Day of Play’ campaign brought together over 25 businesses and 500 volunteers, upgrading 192 ECD centres and enhancing the learning environments for more than 9,600 children.
This year, the Foundation aims to make an even bigger impact by transforming ECD centres in nine rural areas across KwaZulu-Natal, North-West, Gauteng, Western Cape, Mpumalanga and Limpopo. Planned upgrades include:
- Shaded outdoor play areas to shield children from extreme heat
- Drought-resistant trees to enhance greenery and provide cooling
- Water harvesting kits for clean, accessible water
- Solar-powered fans and lights to ensure comfort and continuity of care
- Climate-themed play packs that teach children about seasons, weather and climate
- Training for ECD practitioners in basic climate education and child-centred resilience strategies
Dr Jessica Ronaasen, Advocacy and Innovation Lead at the Foundation, believes starting early is key. “Early childhood is such a powerful time to start building awareness and encouraging proactive behaviours. When we support teachers, parents and caregivers to introduce everyday climate actions such as saving water, protecting trees or staying safe in extreme weather, we’re helping to raise a generation that’s more connected to their environment and more prepared for the future.”
Assemble a Climate Resilience Play Pack
One of the main activities for this year’s Mandela Day is the assembly of Climate Resilience Play Packs by volunteers during their 67 minutes of service. These interactive kits are designed to help 2- to 5-year-olds understand climate concepts like seasons and weather patterns in a fun, hopeful and age-appropriate way.
By focusing on play as a vehicle for climate learning, the Foundation aims to empower young minds while also reinforcing climate-resilient behaviours from an early age.
Sponsor a Kit or a Full Centre Upgrade
For those unable to volunteer in person, the DO MORE FOUNDATION offers a range of sponsorship opportunities. Starting from just R67, individuals and organisations can fund a Climate Resilience Play Pack, while larger contributions can support the full upgrade of an ECD centre with essential climate-adaptive infrastructure.
Jabu Mthembu-Dlamini, Community Programmes Lead at the Foundation, emphasises the community-wide impact of these efforts. “ECD centres are often the heart of their communities. Practitioners do incredible work, often with very little support. By upgrading these spaces, we’re protecting children and showing communities that climate action can begin right where they are.”
The DO MORE FOUNDATION’s 2025 Mandela Day campaign is a powerful call to action for individuals, businesses, and communities to do more for children, to do more for the planet, and to do more together.
To get involved, sponsor a kit, or support the upgrade of an ECD centre, visit www.domore.org.za or contact Kris Fenton, Fundraising Coordinator, at kris.fenton@domore.org.za.
