With members drawn from across Nelson Mandela University’s George Campus, this group of dedicated students is proving that kindness is not just a value, but a movement.
Their most recent initiative during the mid-year recess shows how deeply they care about their peers.
While most students were away, K@M was hard at work ensuring that no one would return hungry to campus.
Building on their ongoing Food Bank Project, the students of K@M sought ways to expand support for food-insecure students.
When their request for assistance from the Garden Route Mall was initially declined due to budget constraints, they did not give up.
Instead, they graciously accepted a referral from the mall’s Marketing Manager, Tumi Masango, to participate in a Rise Against Hunger Africa meal packing initiative.
On 14 July 2025, these students joined volunteers packing 30,000 meals for the broader Garden Route District.
Their contribution of time and energy led to a heartwarming outcome.
Kindness@Mandela was gifted approximately 360 meal packs for their campus food bank, ensuring that returning students will find not only food, but care and solidarity waiting for them.
True to their motto, “An act of kindness changes the world,” these students have shown that real transformation often begins with showing up quietly, consistently, and with open hearts.
This initiative also sparked the beginning of a promising partnership. During the meal-packing event, K@M connected with Dayne Myles, Western Cape Regional Manager of Rise Against Hunger Africa, who expressed strong interest in collaborating further.
With Rise Against Hunger already running university-focused programmes, a more formal partnership could mean consistent food parcel support tailored for students in need.
For the students of Kindness@Mandela, this is just the beginning. While many see student life as a time of self-discovery, these young changemakers are showing that it can also be a time of community-building and service.
Their work reminds us of all that kindness, when led by conviction, can ripple outward and change lives.
In May, the society celebrated Workers’ Day by honouring the often-unseen support services staff who keep the campus running. Now, even during recess, the society continues its work to ensure that no student returns to class hungry.