CNR e-News Term 3 - Mandela Day Initiatives

Mandela Day Initiatives

Pre-School and Junior Primary - Serving with Heart and Hands

In honour of Mandela Day, the Pre-School and Junior Primary children embraced the spirit of Ubuntu and service by engaging in age-appropriate, hands-on acts of kindness that reflect our values of wholeheartedness, intentionality, and community connection.

The Pre-School children joyfully made batches of scented, glitter-infused playdough to share with the children of Hlanganani Primary School. These sensory gifts were lovingly mixed, kneaded, and packaged by small hands with big hearts.

The Grade 1 children, under the guidance of Mrs. Fly and Mrs. Shewan, explored the possibilities of recycling by using an impressive collection of bottle tops to create imaginative teaching and learning games. These activities not only strengthened their phonetic knowledge and counting skills but will now serve as joyful tools for learning when shared with the young learners at Shea O’Connor.

Our Grade 2s showcased their fine motor and spatial awareness by cutting and assembling 25-piece puzzles from printed images. Each puzzle was carefully completed, boxed, and donated to the Grade 2 children at Hlanganani Primary – a meaningful gift made entirely by children, for children.

The Grade 3 children focused on warmth and empathy, each donating a pre-loved item of winter clothing. These were packaged in sturdy canvas bags, accompanied by handwritten notes of care and encouragement. The items were thoughtfully delivered to Love Notties, extending comfort and kindness to local children in need.

Across all year groups, these acts of service highlighted the power of young citizens in making meaningful contributions. By engaging their hands, hearts, and minds, our children are growing into capable, compassionate individuals who live out the values Clifton holds dear.

Grade 4 - The children were inspired by the legacy of Nelson Mandela

This term, the Grade 4s explored the life and values of Nelson Mandela. They discovered many of the principles he stood for, such as kindness, bravery, fairness, and forgiveness, are also reflected in our own Clifton values. We learnt about Mr Mandela’s incredible journey and his powerful message of hope, as shared in his autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. To celebrate and remember these important lessons, we created symbolic footprints decorated with the South African flag and some of Mr Mandela’s inspiring words, "a reminder to always walk forward with courage and compassion".

Grade 5 - Silidele Primary School Library Project

For Mandela Day we were inspired by one of his greatest quotes: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." The Grade 5s wanted to do something lasting for children in our community.

Silindele Primary School is in Fort Nottingham, just 15km from Clifton. Jabulani is the headmaster and he has two teachers. Jabulani used to teach at Clifton many years ago. There are about twelve children at the school, their ages varying from 8-12 years. The school was recently used as a voting station and was painted and the roof repaired.

The Grade 5s have donated books, from home, that they feel could be used by the children at Silindele School. They also brought used but still useful stationery for the children.

We had incredible support from our children and parents and the donations were greatly appreciated. Mrs Lovejoy-Mortimer has kindly helped to sort through the books; putting them into age-appropriate groups and genres.

Grade 6 - Meeting each other in our sameness

Mandela Morning: Grade 6 Visit to Shea O'Connor

When our Grade 6 children stepped off the bus at Shea O’Connor Combined School, they were welcomed not as visitors, but as neighbours and friends. The Shea O’ Connor children formed a singing, smiling tunnel for the Clifton children to walk through, and after a personal welcome from the headmaster, Nicholas Nxumalo, the children were paired up. In their partnerships, they spent the morning working up a sweat playing soccer matches, puzzling over wordbuilding games and designing colourful ‘Ubuntu Flags.’ Working side by side on these activities, the children realised that, despite coming from different backgrounds, they also had a great deal in common. Later, they linked arms for a traditional Zulu dance, laughing and clapping (and even trying to outdo each other with their high kicks!) before settling down to a shared picnic tea and story time. The Clifton children proudly read their Midlands Creative Writing pieces to their partners. The transformation from visitors to friends was evident and watching the camaraderie grow throughout the morning was something special.

The visit was inspired by one of Clifton’s core values: Ubuntu — the African philosophy that reminds us we become fully human through our relationships with others. Ubuntu encourages us to prioritise community bonds and celebrate our shared humanity for the common good. Through the simple acts of playing sport together, creating art and exchanging stories, our children lived out this value. By the time they said goodbye, the initial differences had melted away and genuine connections had been forged. The children learnt that community spirit isn’t just an abstract concept; it is something you intentionally create through warmth, play and conversation.

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