On 18 July, passionate volunteers from dentsu South Africa rolled up their sleeves and joined more than 100 change-makers at Isilimela High School in Langa, Cape Town, honouring Nelson Mandela’s legacy of service and transformation. At the same time, our Johannesburg team brought the same energy and commitment to Letsibogo Girls High School, one of the country’s top-performing public schools.
With PPE on, paint rollers in hand, and smiles across our faces, we stood not just as marketers or media professionals, but as active citizens. We were reminded that impact doesn’t always start in a boardroom. It begins in a classroom, a family home, or with a simple act of giving.
At Letsibogo, volunteers helped repaint classrooms as part of a broader initiative to refresh up to 30 learning spaces. The school’s leadership also shared their dream of building a boarding facility to support learners who travel far or cannot afford transport. While their academic performance places them among the top schools in the country, challenges persist regarding infrastructure. Our Mandela Day efforts in Johannesburg and Cape Town were made possible in partnership with the SAME Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to improving infrastructure in under-resourced schools and healthcare centres. The SAME Foundation has also completed a computer center and are currently in the process of developing two fully equipped science laboratories at Isilimela High School.
“This year’s Mandela Day was a reminder of what can be achieved when purpose and people come together,” said Roxana Ravjee, CEO of dentsu South Africa. “We are proud to show up as people who care deeply about the communities we work in. At dentsu, we believe that when we transform brands and businesses, we must also transform communities, because that is the true measure of meaningful impact.”
In addition to our work at schools, we partnered with organisations aligned to our values. Through Motherland OMNi, specialists in community and brand experience, dentsu contributed over 67 items including seeds, gardening tools, plants, and non-perishable food to support a planting activation at House of Paradise in Katlehong, a safe haven for women and children. We also supported Kin Culture, an organisation that uplifts vulnerable families, by contributing to their family wellness kits, helping to bring dignity and care to households in need.
From fresh paint and powerful conversations to meaningful donations and shared purpose, Mandela Day reminded us that even small actions can create lasting impact. Because at dentsu, being a force for good isn’t just what we do it’s who we are.