Dream Day 2025 was a heart-led collaboration between Commercii, M-Powerment Care, Tax@Tuks, HouseCA, and worked alongside various EC members, brands, and community change makers, all coming together with one mission: to serve vulnerable communities across Pretoria with love, care, and intentional outreach. From uplifting children at SOS Children’s Village, to providing food and essentials to families at Angels of Hope and beyond, the day was a beautiful reminder that small acts of kindness, when done together, can create something extraordinary.

A Morning of Purpose and Preparation

The day started off very exciting. I made sure to check that my team was ready, warm, and had prepped their hearts to serve—because this was going to be a full day of giving and spreading love.

We arrived at Hatfield Studios, which was the central hub for all the Dream Day preparations. That’s where the sandwich prepping, gathering, and sorting of donations took place. Everyone signed indemnity forms and presented their own contributions. As much as we were on a mission to collect donations, we had to lead by example—we also donated.

From there, we dispersed into groups. Some sorted clothes by size and age, others were in charge of sorting shoes. One team handled the non-perishables and sanitary pads, while another was hard at work preparing sandwiches—over 350—that would later be distributed to the homeless around Pretoria near Prospect Street.

Spreading Joy at SOS Children’s Village

Next, we made our way to SOS Children’s Village in Mamelodi, home to 150 children. It was heart-warming to see how well the place was maintained. The children had safe shelters, a working kitchen, a playground, and clean, furnished bathrooms.

While Thrive and M-Powerment set up the fun stations—slush machines, a jumping castle, popcorn, candy floss—others took charge of making wors rolls for everyone. When the children arrived, I was in awe. The pure excitement on their faces brought me to tears. We were familiar to them now, and one child even said, “Ma’am, please come again in July, on Mandela Day. I’ll mark it down on my calendar.”

That moment was bittersweet. Yes, it was beautiful to see them so joyful, but it was also disheartening to realize that they associate such care and joy only with “special days.” It reminded me that we need to be present and intentional about outreach not just on days of celebration—but every day.

A Reality Check at Angels of Hope

When we got to Angels of Hope, a shelter housing 800 people, my heart dropped. The living conditions were tough to witness. But despite this, the people welcomed us warmly and expressed deep gratitude. That’s when it truly felt like outreach—we were not just donating things, we were seeing them, hearing them, and offering a moment of humanity.

As Realeboga from HouseCA shared: - “This felt like outreach because we were helping people, and it goes a long way. The kids were joyful, even if it didn’t look like much—it meant everything to them. The mood changed from the moment we arrived to the moment we left. M-Powerment was wonderful to work with—so kind and accommodating.”

Oluhle from Tax@Tuks added: - “People always think about doing big things. But even though our contributions weren’t massive, everyone brought a little something. That Ubuntu—that hand-in-hand spirit—made it a huge success. I hope Dream Day inspires others to help in any way, even if it’s just donating a blanket or food.”

Dream Day, Every Day

Dream Day 2025 wasn’t just a single day of giving. It was a call to action. A reminder that making a difference doesn’t require a grand gesture—just a willing heart. Collaboration, compassion, and consistency are what make real impact possible.

So let Dream Day not be the only day. Let it be a spark. May we all be moved to show up for others, not only when it's marked on the calendar, but whenever and however we can. Because kindness, no matter how small, always goes a long way.