VWGA employees and their loved ones lend a helping hand to Happydale Special School

On Saturday, 18 July 2026, more than 200 Volkswagen Group Africa(VWGA) employees and their loved ones gathered at Happydale Special School for the annual Show of Hands volunteerism event. The event, which has been hosted since 2011 and is the 41st iteration held in Nelson Mandela Bay and Gauteng, provides VWGA employees with the opportunity to volunteer alongside their families and friends by helping to restore and repair infrastructure of non-profit organizations(NPOs) and schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay. This year's iteration of the Show of Hands coincided with Mandela Day, a day that honours the life and legacy of Nelson Mandela, by encouraging people to dedicate time to helping those less fortunate.

VWGA Corporate & Government Affairs Director, Nonkqubela Maliza said that "Show of Hands is more than improving buildings. It is about people coming together to make a meaningful difference in the lives of others."

Happydale Special School was founded in 1963 and provides quality education, care and support to learners with special learning needs. The school currently supports more than 330 learners, ensuring that each child has the opportunity to reach their full potential. During the event, VWGA volunteers restored and repaired different areas of the school to improve its facilities. Some painted murals soccer field, jungle gym, walls around the school, while others worked in gardens. Additionally, volunteers packed nutritious food parcels that will be distributed to locally selected Early Childhood Development Centres and non-governmental organizations(NGOs).

"One of Volkswagen Group Africa's greatest strengths is our employees' willingness to serve the communities around us. Seeing colleagues and their loved ones work side by side to create a better learning environment is a reminder that even small acts of kindness can have a lasting impact. Over the past 75 years, our company has placed people and community at the heart of everything it does, helping to build a meaningful and lasting legacy." added Maliza.