Absa mobilises thousands across Africa during Mandela Month, delivering food security, skills and hope

Thousands of Absa colleagues across Africa are participating in Mandela Month and Force for Good volunteer activities aimed at addressing food insecurity, supporting education, driving skills volunteering, promoting financial inclusion, advancing health awareness and protecting the environment.

Running throughout July, the programme forms part of Absa's commitment to creating shared value by mobilising colleagues, partners and communities to tackle some of society's most pressing challenges. Guided by the enduring call to action, It starts with being a force for good, colleagues across Absa's African operations are contributing their time, skills and resources to initiatives that create meaningful and measurable outcomes.

A key highlight of Absa's Mandela Month programme is its partnership with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Legacy Ride4Hope, an initiative that raises funds to improve the quality of foundation-phase education and expand access to better learning environments for children. Now in its eighth year, the initiative has evolved from providing school uniforms, food parcels and classroom furnishings to delivering sustainable education infrastructure through the #Classrooms4Hope programme.

This year's Ride4Hope will see cyclists cover approximately 550km across international borders, travelling from Maputo, Mozambique, to the Nelson Mandela Capture Site in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal. Through the partnership, Absa will contribute R400 for every kilometre ridden, supporting the delivery of additional #Classrooms4Hope projects and helping improve learning conditions for young people.

One of the Mandela month initiatives is a nationwide food-packing campaign in partnership with Rise Against Hunger. Across five South African regions, including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape, Eastern Cape and Free State, Absa volunteers will pack more than 100,000 nutritious meals, this is enough to provide at least 500 children with five meals a week for an entire year.

"Our responsibility extends far beyond banking. This Force for Good Month, we're celebrating the impact and the people who make it possible. Follow the journey as we shine a light on the stories and initiatives creating meaningful change across Africa.

Every act of service both in this month and beyond helps build the legacy we want to leave behind. Because empowering Africa's tomorrow starts with the small acts of good we choose every day," says Setlogane Manchidi, managing executive: Corporate Citizenship at Absa.

Across the continent, Absa colleagues are participating in programmes tailored to the needs of their local communities.

At Absa Zambia, activities include Ready to Work employability workshops, a youth career fair, financial literacy education, a radio awareness campaign, tree-planting initiatives and the donation of nutrition and care packages to vulnerable community members.

At Absa Mauritius, colleagues are supporting community health through colon cancer awareness programmes, prostate cancer screenings, breast and cervical cancer awareness campaigns, and the refurbishment of a community learning centre to improve educational facilities for local learners.

At Absa Seychelles, volunteers are contributing to environmental conservation through coral reef restoration initiatives, supporting animal welfare programmes and providing financial literacy education to secondary school learners.

These initiatives also includes leadership role-modelling and skills-based volunteering sessions where Absa executives will engage with beneficiaries from the Absa Fellowship and entrepreneurship development programmes. Through mentoring, shadowing opportunities and masterclasses, young people will gain practical insights into leadership, career development and entrepreneurship.

Nelson Mandela believed that overcoming poverty and inequality was not an act of charity but an act of justice. Inspired by this belief, Absa continues to invest in initiatives that strengthen communities while empowering colleagues to become active citizens and agents of positive change.

From supporting children's nutrition and improving educational outcomes to advancing healthcare awareness, environmental stewardship and youth employability, Absa's Force for Good month demonstrates how collective action can create lasting impact across Africa.