This Mandela Day, Rainbow Chicken brought together its people and purpose to make a meaningful difference in communities across South Africa, honouring Madiba’s legacy through acts of service that nourish more than just stomachs.
Under the Do More 2025 campaign “Change Starts with Play”, Rainbow Chicken employees in Worcester, Rustenburg, and Hammarsdale, dedicated their 67 minutes helping Do More reach more hearts and hands, creating real impact on the ground for 645 ECD centres by packing Climate Play Packs: interactive, age-appropriate learning kits that help children understand climate change in a joyful, non-frightening way. Each pack includes weather cards, season cards and hands-on playbooks, along with training for early childhood development (ECD) teachers on how to use the materials effectively.
“This isn’t just about a single day of volunteering; we value building long-term, sustainable impact,” said Tarryn Fowler, marketing director of Rainbow Chicken.
These on-the-ground efforts were further supported by Rainbow’s contributions to national Mandela Day campaigns.
Rainbow donated R67,000 worth of chicken to the #67000Litres Challenge, a nationwide food rescue effort led by Chefs with Compassion, which aims to cook over 100,000 litres of meals for vulnerable communities, feeding up to 400,000 people. Employees were also encouraged to volunteer their time or donate R67 to sponsor additional Climate Play Packs, further amplifying the collective impact of the initiative.
Across its operations, Rainbow employees gave their time, skills, and resources to bring comfort, dignity, and hope to those who need it most.
At P2 Hammarsdale, volunteers transformed the Ingqophamlando Service Centre for the Aged through essential maintenance work, including door replacements, electrical repairs, and fresh coats of paint. The team also donated blankets and books and arranged pamper sessions with a local salon to treat the gogos to a special day.
On the Bronkhorstspruit Farm, the team supported the Kids Care and Support Trust (NPO) in Zithobeni, which aids orphaned and vulnerable children. With the centre currently operating without funding, Rainbow employees purchased ingredients and cooked soup for 180 children, providing nourishment, comfort, and human connection when it was needed most.
In Carolina, Rainbow engineers resolved long standing electrical issues at Thokozani Combined School, ensuring safe and consistent power across several school blocks. The team also painted key facilities and are planning on repairing ceilings and windows damaged by recent storms in the future, helping to restore a safe and conducive learning environment for local children.
At Rustenburg Farms, Rainbow unveiled the first official school board for Kloof Waters Intermediate Farm School, planted a vegetable garden to promote food sustainability, and continued its monthly chicken donations to the school’s feeding scheme.
As Fowler noted: “Our teams live and work in these areas, and they want to be part of building something better.”
This Mandela Day, Rainbow Chicken reaffirmed its purpose: to nourish the nation, not only through food but through compassion, community partnerships, and climate-conscious action.
