When 13-year-old Zeeva, from Cape Town, steps into the kitchen, something magical happens. The world quiets, the noise fades, and her mind settles into a calm, joyful rhythm only baking seems to unlock. Mixing, measuring, scooping, and shaping, this is her happy place, the one where she feels most centered, creative, and fully herself.

And at the centre of it all is a dream she’s been nurturing since she was just eight years old:
to build her very own cookie business, The Final Bite, and share her “best cookies you’ll ever taste” far beyond her home kitchen.

Today, that dream is taking its biggest step yet.

A Sweet Soul With a Big Vision

To her mom, Melvina, Zeeva is more than just a talented young baker. She’s gentle, kind, determined, and quietly resilient, the kind of girl who cleans the kitchen after a baking fail and says,

“It’s okay, Mommy, I’ll try again.”

“She has this soft nature,” Melvina says, “but once she sets her mind on something, she gives it her whole heart. She’s my little bestie, my shadow, and honestly, my teacher in so many ways.”

And the dream she holds isn’t just about cookies. It’s about confidence. Creativity. Purpose.
It’s about watching a young girl step into who she was made to be, one batch at a time.

Where It All Began: The Accidental First Bake

Like many great baking origin stories, Zeeva’s includes laughter, a little chaos, and a surprising success.

She remembers baking classic choc-chip cookies with her aunt during a family visit from America. Zeeva confidently read out the ingredients list… not the method… and her aunt added everything exactly as she spoke. Midway through, they burst into laughter, realizing something was very wrong.

But the cookies?
They turned out delicious.

That moment lit something inside her, a spark of joy, creativity, and possibility.

“I loved it,” she says. “It just felt right. Baking makes me feel peaceful and happy.”

From Home Treats to a Budding Cookie Brand

Since then, Zeeva has spent hundreds of hours perfecting her recipes. Her signature crumble-style cookies have become a favourite among friends, teachers, and family. She experiments with flavours, textures, and toppings, always chasing that perfect “final bite”, the one you wish would never end.

She dreams of building a small business, sharing beauty and joy through every batch, and eventually becoming the go-to cookie creator in town.

Her mom has watched the transformation in real time.

“It’s emotional,” Melvina says. “I’ve seen her confidence bloom. She explains her ideas with passion. She packs her cookies with such care. It feels like watching her grow into her God-given gifts.”

Faith is deeply woven into this journey.

“I pray over her hands, her ideas, her confidence,” Melvina adds. “I believe God placed this gift inside her, and my job is to nurture it.”

A Full-Circle Moment: Why BackaBuddy Felt Like Home

Melvina works at BackaBuddy, helping campaign creators find hope and possibility in their hardest moments. She has supported hundreds of people in telling their stories, reaching their communities, and believing in second chances.

Starting a campaign for her own daughter felt like a special full-circle moment.

“I’ve guided so many people through their fundraising journeys,” she says. “When Zeeva was ready to take her dream seriously, I knew BackaBuddy was the perfect place. I’ve seen how kindness gathers, how people show up for something meaningful. I wanted Zeeva to experience that too.”

And so, The Final Bite campaign was born, a chance for the community to help a young entrepreneur take her first real step into business.

What Zeeva Needs To Grow Her Cookie Business

To bring her vision to life, Zeeva needs a few essential tools — the kind that help transform big dreams into beautiful bakes.

In a beautiful turn of events, Zeeva was recently blessed with a stand mixer, generously gifted just when she needed it most. But just as she was preparing to advertise her Christmas cookies, their home oven unexpectedly broke, bringing her plans to a sudden pause.

Right now, the most urgent need is a reliable baking oven — the heart of any cookie business, and the one thing Zeeva needs to keep baking, growing, and sharing her creations.

The funds raised will help cover:

• Baking oven (essential for consistent, reliable baking)

• Measuring cups & spoons — R150

• Mixing bowls (set of 3) — R250

• Spatulas, whisks, wooden spoons — R200

• High-quality baking trays (2–4) — R500

• Cooling racks (set of 2) — R300

• Silicone baking mats / baking paper — R300

• Starter stock of key ingredients — R2,000

• Packaging (boxes, ribbons, stickers) — R500

The goal remains R12,000, covering the oven and all the essentials Zeeva needs to take The Final Bite from a home hobby to a small, thriving business — just in time for her first festive cookie season.

A Young Entrepreneur With a Big Heart

When asked what makes her cookies special, Zeeva’s answer is simple and sincere:

“They’re decadent, filled with love, and made to be affordable so everyone can enjoy them.”

Her biggest supporters?
Her friends, who cheer her on, order cookies, and hype her up every step of the way, and of course, her family, who have been her foundation.

Outside the kitchen, she’s a proud soccer lover and a devoted Manchester United fan. But in the kitchen, she is something else entirely, a creator, an artist, an entrepreneur in the making.

Help a Young Dreamer Rise

Right now, The Final Bite is at the very beginning of something special. Zeeva is ready to grow her skills, build her brand, and share her joyful creations with more people, but she can’t do it alone.

By donating, sharing the campaign, or simply cheering her on, you’re helping a 13-year-old girl discover her potential and step boldly into her dreams.

Every spatula, every tray, every ingredient…
Every contribution moves her closer to the dream God placed on her heart.

And who knows? One day, “The Final Bite” may be the cookie Cape Town, or even South Africa, can’t stop talking about.

Support The Final Bite

Help Zeeva take her next big step as a young entrepreneur:
👉 https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/the-final-bite-back-a-young-cookie-boss