‘Ginger with a GoPRO’, crowdfunds over R600 000 to feed hungry communities during lockdown.

Since the beginning of lockdown, Chad Nathan (27), a photographer, videographer and social media influencer from Sea Point, Cape Town, has been documenting the effect the coronavirus pandemic has had on the less fortunate in the Western Cape, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.

In working closely with non-profit organisations in Cape Town, namely Cans With Purpose, Ladles of Love, Breadline Africa, and Courage, Chad felt it was his responsibility to ‘take action’ and use his platform to carry out random acts of kindness.

”With no cars on the road, it pained me to see people digging in trash cans looking for food. I could see how the homeless were going to suffer and I knew I had to do something about it” says Chad.

With a crowdfunding campaign called “Raising Hope”, launched on BackaBuddy, Chad set out to raise R100 000 to lend a helping hand to those in need.

After reaching out to his Instagram followers, he soon exceeded his fundraising target, raising over R620 000 with generous contributions from 1253 donors both locally and internationally.https://www.youtube.com/embed/mFtMlhLNyk8?feature=oembed

The Impact of ‘Raising Hope’

With the success of his campaign, Chad has been able to support over 35 non-profit organisations and communities across the country in dire need.

With funds raised:

Over R100 000 was donated to support over 850 refugees in Kensington with food, tents, clean clothes, toiletries and other essential items.
Over R80 000 was donated to Ladles of Love Soup Kitchen.
Over R80 000 was donated to Courage, a COVID-19 community response initiative.
Over R70 000 was donated to Afrika Tikkun’s Cans With Purpose project to feed families in need.
Over R30 000 was donated to Breadline Africa who build classrooms, toilet facilities, and kitchens in ECD centers as well as primary school libraries across South Africa.
Over R15 000 was donated to The Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children as well as Uyinene Mrwetyana Fund to help victims of Gender Based Violence.
Over R15 000 was donated to Tears Animal Rescue, Woodrock Animal Rescue and Care For Wild Rhino Sanctuary to support animals in need.
Over R10 000 was donated to One Bag Full to help communities in Langa.
Over R8000 was donated to Living Hope to support the thousands of individuals displaced by the Masiphumelele fires.

With generous donations, Raising Hope, has fed many families in need.

As the number of coronavirus infections rise in South Africa, Chad is hoping to raise a further R400 000 with his campaign to support feeding schemes in Langa, Mannenberg, Hanover Park, Delft, and many more.

“I am so thankful for each and every person who has donated to my campaign and I hope we will get the chance to change the lives of many more people. Everyday thousands of South Africans are losing their lives, jobs and their livelihoods to this virus. Together we can ease the suffering and come out stronger” – says Chad