The Sweethearts Foundation

09/08/2026

Today, we celebrate the women who keep us moving. 💜

From our volunteers and collectors to our Collection Point champions, Community Coordinators, partners, caregivers and beneficiaries, women are at the heart of The Sweethearts Foundation.

Your kindness, determination and everyday actions help turn small acts into life-changing mobility. Thank you for giving your time, sharing our mission and moving communities forward.

Strong Women. Moving hearts. Changing Lives.

Happy Women’s Day, South Africa! 🇿🇦

04/08/2026

Not every bottle top belongs in the collection. Do you know which ones we can accept? ♻️

We collect bottle tops marked:

✅ #2 HDPE
✅ #4 LDPE
✅ #5 PP

Before delivering your collection, please make sure every bottle top is:

🎨 Sorted by colour
💧 Clean and completely dry
🚫 Free from food, dirt, rubber seals and inserts
📦 Securely packed and clearly labelled

Correct sorting helps our recycling partners process more material efficiently, turning everyday bottle tops into life-changing mobility for people across South Africa.

Swipe through our guide, save it for your next sorting day, and share it with your school, workplace or community group.

Together, every top can help change a life. 🧡♿

18/07/2026

67 minutes. A lifetime of impact. 💛

This Mandela Day, The Sweethearts Foundation is honoured to celebrate four wheelchair handovers. These are four special moments made possible by people who chose to collect, contribute and care.

Today, we celebrate Mr Sakube.

Mr Sakube lost both of his legs due to complications from diabetes. Since then, he has relied on an old and worn wheelchair that no longer provides the safety, comfort or support he needs.
Without reliable mobility, attending medical appointments, accessing essential services and participating in community activities have become increasingly challenging. Even leaving his home has often required assistance from others. But Mr Sakube remained hopeful and determined. He values spending time with his family, socialising with others, attending community events and taking an active role in looking after his health and well-being.

His new wheelchair will give him safer, more comfortable and more reliable mobility. It will make it easier for him to attend medical appointments, visit family and friends, complete everyday tasks and remain connected to his community. It will also reduce the physical strain caused by using a damaged wheelchair and support his independence and confidence.

This handover belongs to every person who collected a bottle top, bread tag, aluminium pull tab or takeaway coffee lid. It belongs to every volunteer, Collection Point, donor and partner who understood that a seemingly small action could become part of something life-changing.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kargo for helping us move forward, both literally and figuratively. Through its ongoing logistics support, Kargo helps move collected items and wheelchairs across South Africa, including the wheelchair handed over to Mr Sakube today.

We are equally grateful to EPR Waste Association of South Africa for its valued partnership and fundraising support, and to Kennersley Park, a proud Collection Point for the Foundation, for hosting this meaningful occasion. We also offer a very special thank you to our Sweetheart Representative, Glynis. Her care, dedication and support were instrumental in making this handover possible and ensuring that Mr Sakube’s special moment could take place.

To everyone who made today possible, thank you. You did not simply support a Mandela Day activity. You helped give Mr Sakube greater freedom, comfort and independence.

Give 67 minutes today, but keep creating impact every day. Collect. Donate. Participate. Help us move another life forward. 💛

18/07/2026

67 minutes. A lifetime of impact. 💛

This Mandela Day, The Sweethearts Foundation is honoured to celebrate four wheelchair handovers. These are four special moments made possible by people who chose to collect, contribute and care.

Today, we celebrate Thandi.

Thandi’s life changed significantly following an amputation related to diabetes and further health complications. The wheelchair she had been relying on was badly damaged and no longer had front wheels, making movement both difficult and unsafe.

Yet her circumstances have never defined the whole of who she is. Thandi is a woman of strength, faith and humour. She loves singing, particularly at church, and previously ran a small catering team that served church gatherings and other community functions.

Today, Thandi receives more than a wheelchair. She receives a safer and more reliable way to move through the world, reconnect with her community and participate more fully in the life she values.

This handover belongs to every person who collected a bottle top, bread tag, aluminium pull tab or takeaway coffee lid. It belongs to every volunteer, Collection Point, donor and partner who understood that a seemingly small action could become part of something life-changing.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kargo for helping us move forward, both literally and figuratively. Through its ongoing logistics support, Kargo helps move collected items and wheelchairs across South Africa, including the wheelchair handed over to Thandi today.

We are equally grateful to EPR Waste Association of South Africa for its valued partnership and fundraising support, and to Our Lady of Fatima Church, a proud Collection Point for the Foundation, for hosting this special moment. A special thank you goes to our Impact Manager for KZN, Sue, whose dedication, compassion and support played an essential role in bringing everyone together and making this handover possible.

To everyone who made today possible, thank you. You did not simply support a Mandela Day activity. You helped create lasting impact.

Give 67 minutes today, but keep creating impact every day. Collect. Donate. Participate. Help us move another life forward. 💛

18/07/2026

67 minutes. A lifetime of impact. 💛

This Mandela Day, The Sweethearts Foundation is honoured to celebrate four wheelchair handovers. These are four special moments made possible by people who chose to collect, contribute and care.

Today, we celebrate Paul.

Following the amputation of both his legs due to complications from diabetes, Paul relies on a wheelchair for his daily mobility. The wheelchair he has been using was borrowed and, after years of use, had become worn and increasingly uncomfortable.

Paul spends much of his day at his workstation, keeping his hands and mind busy. He loves reading books, listening to music and gardening. He also enjoys fixing things and regularly repairs microwaves, radios, hairdryers and other items for his fellow residents.

Paul’s new wheelchair will provide the comfort and reliable mobility he needs to move between his bed, workstation and daily activities. It will help him continue doing the things he enjoys and, in his own way, continue helping those around him.

This handover belongs to every person who collected a bottle top, bread tag, aluminium pull tab or takeaway coffee lid. It belongs to every volunteer, Collection Point, donor and partner who understood that a seemingly small action could become part
of something life-changing.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kargo for helping us move forward, both literally and figuratively. Through its ongoing logistics support, Kargo helps move collected items and wheelchairs across South Africa, including the wheelchair handed over to Paul today.

We are equally grateful to EPR Waste Association of South Africa for its valued partnership and fundraising support, and to Indaba Hotel, Spa & Conference Centre, a proud Collection Point for the Foundation, for hosting this special moment. A special thank you goes to our Sweetheart Representative, Sharon, whose dedication, compassion and support played an essential role in bringing everyone together and making this handover possible.

To everyone who made today possible, thank you. You did not simply support a Mandela Day activity. You helped give Paul greater comfort, mobility and independence.

Give 67 minutes today, but keep creating impact every day.

Collect. Donate. Participate.

Help us move another life forward. 💛

18/07/2026

67 minutes. A lifetime of impact. 💛

This Mandela Day, The Sweethearts Foundation is honoured to celebrate four wheelchair handovers. These are four special moments made possible by people who chose to collect, contribute and care.

Today, we celebrate Elizabeth.

Just a year ago, Elizabeth was able to move around independently. Then she began experiencing pain in her knees. Her family took her to doctors in search of answers, but her condition continued to worsen until she was no longer able to walk.

Her family did everything they could to find her a wheelchair. They approached hospitals and were sent back and forth, facing disappointment at every turn. As the struggle continued, they reached a point where they were beginning to lose hope.

Then Elizabeth’s story was shared with Nikki, who stepped forward to help. She told the family about The Sweethearts Foundation and submitted an application for a wheelchair on Elizabeth’s behalf.

Today, that act of kindness has helped change daily life for an entire family.

Elizabeth’s wheelchair gives her a safer and more comfortable way to move around. Her family can take her outside for walks, transport her to hospital appointments more easily and help her remain connected to the world around her. It has eased some of the physical and emotional strain they carried while trying to support her without suitable mobility equipment.

This handover belongs to every person who collected a bottle top, bread tag, aluminium pull tab or takeaway coffee lid. It belongs to every volunteer, donor and partner who understood that a seemingly small action could become part of something life-changing.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kargo for helping us move forward, both literally and figuratively. Through its ongoing logistics support, Kargo helps move collected items and wheelchairs across South Africa, including the wheelchair handed over to Elizabeth.

We are equally grateful to EPR Waste Association of South Africa for its valued partnership and fundraising support.

A very special thank you goes to Nikki, who listened to Elizabeth’s story and chose to help. By applying on her behalf and supporting the family through the process, Nikki was instrumental in making this moment possible. Her actions remind us that changing a life can begin with something as simple as listening, caring and taking the next step.

To everyone who made this possible, thank you. You did not simply help provide a wheelchair. You made everyday life easier for Elizabeth and her family, and gave them renewed hope when they were close to giving up.

Give 67 minutes today, but keep creating impact every day. Collect. Donate. Participate. Help us move another life forward. 💛

16/07/2026

Extra extra, read all about it! 📰

We’re so proud of our partnership with Petco, Tuffy and MyPlas, and for the opportunity to grow awareness of the initiative. Helping someone else has always been simple. Now it’s just about starting!

Share this with your friends, your family, your colleague at work or the stranger you might bump into at the store. Everyone can be a sweetheart! Start today! 🎉

By collecting plastic bottle tops, South Africans are supporting the work of Operation Smile South Africa SA and the Sweethearts Foundation.

02/07/2026

What will your 67 minutes look like this Mandela Month? 💛♿

Nelson Mandela reminded us that each of us has the power to change the world.

This Mandela Month, you don't have to change the whole world. You just have to change one person's.

Give your 67 minutes to the gift of mobility.

Here are a few ways you can make a difference:
♻️ Collect 67 bottle tops, bread tags, takeaway lids or soda tabs.
📢 Tell 67 people about The Sweethearts Foundation and help grow our movement.
👐 Spend 67 minutes sorting your collections.
🏢 Organise a 67-minute sorting event at your workplace, school or in your community.
🚗 Drop your collections off at your nearest Collection Point.
💛 Make a donation to help provide life-changing mobility.

Every conversation, every recyclable collected, and every minute you give helps restore independence, dignity, and opportunity.

Now we'd love to hear from you.

💬 How will you spend your 67 minutes this Mandela Month?

Share your plans in the comments, tag the people joining you, and inspire others to make their 67 minutes count.