A special moment with the wonderful Beauty Ntengo from APD Mthatha. Lucy and Dylan from Casual Day delivered the certificate
MTHATHA, Eastern Cape – Casual Day staff recently embarked on a transformative community engagement tour across the Eastern Cape, visiting schools, universities, and radio stations to champion South Africa’s most beloved disability fundraising initiative.
Dylan Mashele, NCPD‘s PR and Communication Officer, and Lucy Mbatha, Casual Day’s NPOs and Schools Coordinator, led the comprehensive outreach campaign that touched hearts and minds throughout Mthatha. Their mission was clear: celebrate existing participants, showcase the life-changing benefits of Casual Day, and inspire new communities to join South Africa’s flagship disability fundraising program.
Casual Day -A Legacy of Inclusion
Casual Day’s remarkable journey began as a simple yet powerful concept: creating an annual opportunity for South Africans to demonstrate solidarity with the disability community while raising vital funds for empowerment programs. What started as a modest workplace initiative has evolved into one of the country’s most recognisable and impactful fundraising campaigns.
The program was born from the National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities’ vision to transform public perceptions about disability while generating sustainable funding for critical support services. Over the years, Casual Days has grown from engaging a handful of organisations to mobilising thousands of businesses, schools, and community groups across all nine provinces.
The initiative’s success lies in its accessibility and inclusivity. By simply wearing casual clothes to work or school and making a small donation, participants become part of a nationwide movement that funds assistive devices, skills development programs, advocacy initiatives, and awareness campaigns that directly improve the lives of people with disabilities.
From corporate boardrooms to rural classrooms, Casual Day has broken down barriers and fostered conversations about disability rights, accessibility, and inclusion. The program has consistently demonstrated that collective action, no matter how small individual contributions may seem, can create transformative change.
“Every visit reminded us why Casual Day matters,” said Mashele, reflecting on the warm reception received across all venues. “From university students to radio presenters, people genuinely want to make a difference in the disability community. Our job is to show them how.”
The dynamic duo visited five influential radio stations, including Engcobo FM, Mdantsane FM, Inako FM, UCR Campus Radio at Walter Sisulu University, and Ingwane FM. Each station committed to ongoing support, with Mdantsane FM pledging monthly disability segments and multiple outlets promising regular coverage of NCPD initiatives.
Casual Day’s media success extends far beyond the Eastern Cape. The National Council of and for Persons with Disabilities‘ flagship program boasts an extensive network of over 200 participating radio stations nationwide, with most platforms providing pro bono airtime across community and commercial platforms. This remarkable media partnership generates millions in free advertising value annually, amplifying disability awareness messages to diverse audiences.
“The generosity of our media partners is extraordinary,” noted Mbatha. “From small community stations to major commercial broadcasters, everyone understands that disability inclusion benefits our entire society.”
The tour included meaningful interactions with educational institutions, where learners and educators received certificates of appreciation and learnt about Casual Day’s impact on disability empowerment programs. Universities showed particular enthusiasm for integrating disability awareness into student affairs.
Since its inception, Casual Day has become synonymous with South African corporate social responsibility, enabling businesses, schools, and individuals to make meaningful contributions to disability inclusion while fostering workplace unity and social awareness.
This annual fundraising campaign invites workplaces, schools, and communities across South Africa to participate in disability awareness while raising vital funds for empowerment programs. The concept is beautifully simple: participants wear themed, casual clothes instead of their usual formal attire and make a voluntary donation to support persons with disabilities.
The outreach campaign to the Eastern Cape was comprehensively documented through social media, providing transparent accountability and inspiring other regions to replicate similar community engagement initiatives.
Join the Movement: Ready to make a difference? Connect with Casual Day and discover how your participation creates lasting change in the disability community.
