In the early hours of February 6, 2023, Turkey and Syria were rocked by a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake, followed by a 7.5 magnitude tremor. The devastating quakes resulted in thousands of casualties and widespread damage.
As search and rescue efforts are hampered by harsh weather conditions, the Gift of the Givers has taken action to help the affected communities.
The organisation has evacuated children from their Bayt Kareem Child Care Centre in Gaziantep, Turkey, and prepared its medical teams in Darkoush, Syria to treat incoming casualties. The death toll continues to rise, with over 4300 fatalities reported so far.
The Gift of the Givers has been contacted by the Turkish Ambassador to South Africa and the Consul General in Cape Town, as well as the SA Ambassador to Turkey, Dipou Letsatsi-Duba, to provide assistance.
Image: Gift of the Givers (Facebook)
In response, they have launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to purchase essential aid, including medical supplies, equipment, food, and more. They are also expanding their volunteer medical and search and rescue teams, ready to assist in any way they can.
To support the affected communities and the Gift of the Givers’ efforts, you can donate to the initiative on BackaBuddy:
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R380 Million.
Cape Town Burns Night is back, and it promises to be a spectacular event that will bring together individuals from various backgrounds to celebrate Scottish culture with an African twist.
This year’s celebration marks the return of the largest Burns Night event in Africa after being postponed due to the pandemic. The event, which will take place on February 4, 2023, at the Mercedes Benz AMG in Century City, is organised by the Africa Scotland Business Network and is held in honour of the Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796).
The Africa Scotland Business Network, based in Cape Town, is an international business network connecting companies across Africa to Scotland and back. Since its inception, the network has grown globally and now has a direct members footprint in 15 countries. The organisation is committed to promoting business, cultural, and social connections between Africa and Scotland, and Cape Town Burns Night is one of the ways in which it does this.
One of the biggest highlights of this year’s sold out event is the new venue, the Mercedes Benz AMG in Century City, which is sure to provide a breathtaking backdrop for the festivities. The event also boasts a lineup of top speakers, including the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr. Solomon Lechesa Tsenoli, and global speaker and presenter, Richard Mulholland. There will also be a special appearance by international commercial lawyer, Stephanie McDonald and CEO of Ascensos, John Devlin.
The Drums and Pipes of the Cape Town Highlanders will provide an unforgettable show-stopping display, setting the stage for an evening of cultural entertainment, poetry, and Highland dancing. Attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy a delectable three-course meal, complete with an experiential dessert.
‘Burns Night’ has a strong charitable ethos and raises substantial amounts for NPOs in South Africa and Scottish NPOs working in South Africa. This year, one of the beneficiaries of the event is BackaBuddy, South Africa’s largest donations-based crowdfunding platform for worthy charitable causes.
Africa Scotland Business Network hopes to use the occasion to spread goodwill and build connections between individuals from different parts of the world.
Create a crowdfunding campaign
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R350 Million.
Ryan “Choppy” Pike, a 29-year-old model from Hout Bay, Cape Town, is on a mission to make a difference in the lives of animals in need.
Through the launch of crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, Ryan hopes to benefit the Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha, an animal advocacy organisation that he has recently connected with.
Pictured above: Ryan with his pup, Mila.
The challenge
On 16 February 2023, Choppy, who is an animal lover at heart, will be pushing his limits to the extreme by running the Tankwa Crossing, a 207 km Ultra Marathon from Calvinia to Ceres, to raise funds for the Mdzananda Animal Clinic.
The race, which takes place during one of the hottest months of the year with temperatures reaching a scorching 50 degrees Celsius, is a gruelling single stage race with a cut off time of 50 hours. Choppy will have to face the harsh conditions, pushing his body to the limit, all for the love and care of animals in need.
“I grew up with many different cats and dogs around in the house and they’ve always been a huge part of my life. I feel like animals are capable of turning a house into a home, they’re furry best friends who are always excited to see you,” says Choppy. “That’s why I can’t stand the thought of animals suffering and not receiving the care they need. That’s why I am doing this, for them. For the animals that can’t speak for themselves, I want to be their voice.” – says Ryan
Pictured above: Ryan with his pup, Mila
The campaign, which has already raised over R45,000 towards his fundraising target of R100,000, will benefit the Mdzananda Animal Clinic, which is currently running over the carrying capacity of their facilities.
Funds raised will contribute towards a new inverter to protect the organisation’s digital x-ray machine from potential damage due to load shedding and power cuts South Africa is currently facing.
Pictured above: Mdzananda Animal Clinic outreach
“I’m sure every South African can relate to the frustrations of having to deal with load shedding, which is bad enough. However, fear of losing a pivotal piece of equipment used to help the animals in your care tends to elevate the stress levels by a couple of notches. Hence the push to raise funds and buy the clinic some insurance in the form of a new inverter,” says Choppy.
Choppy has been blown away by the tremendous amount of support he’s received since the launch of his campaign.
Pictured above: A dog is dipped to combat external parasites such as ticks and fleas while a young boy from the community watches. Mdzananda Animal Clinic outreach
“Thank you so much to all those who have shown support through messages, follows or opening their wallets for the cause. It’s crazy how motivating it is for me to see a community starting to build and people so ready to help where help is needed. Together we can make a real difference in the lives of these animals.” – says Ryan
Choppy’s selfless efforts in running this gruelling race in the scorching heat to raise funds for the animals in need, is truly admirable. He is truly going above and beyond to make a difference, and his passion and dedication is truly inspiring.
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R380 Million.
Jasmijn Duvenhage, a little one-year-old girl from Die Wilgers, Pretoria, was diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy at only 4 months old, after several tests, including an EEG test that measures electrical activity in the brain.
Jasmijn has a rare genetic condition that causes difficulty to control, severe epilepsy, slow development, and low muscle tone.
After starting therapy for temporal lobe epilepsy, Jasmijn’s condition unfortunately worsened, and she was diagnosed with West syndrome, for which she had received a prolonged course of extremely expensive steroid therapy.
This was not covered by the family’s medical aid in 2021.
“By Jesus’ Mercy and Grace, she came out of West syndrome, a miracle that very few children live to tell about. Unfortunately, Jasmijn developed several forms of horrifying epilepsy ranging from mild episodes to absolutely life-threatening episodes. This happened several times a day.”
Nadia, Jasmijn’s mom, has not been able to trust Jasmijn’s care into the hands of another healthcare provider yet, as Jasmijn has an extremely complex medication and feeding regime, including the ketogenic diet, which can be 100% life-threatening if administered incorrectly.
Nadia thus forms part of Jasmijn’s therapeutic team and had to stop working in order to be available for her daughter’s care. This places additional financial strain on the family.
To date, Jasmijn has feeble muscle tone, she cannot sit up, turn over, or crawl. She also has trouble moving her head, which necessitates 24-hour monitoring as she also has trouble swallowing her secretions, which has led to several choking episodes with aspiration pneumonia and lung collapses, requiring non-invasive ventilation and admission to paediatric ICU.
This is all even despite the family’s best attempts to manage and prevent these episodes with physiotherapy and suctioning at home. With her severe developmental delays, she doesn’t yet smile and does not always react to people around her.
To give Jasmijn the best care, her family has spent their entire savings and exhausted their medical aid to cover the costs of her medication and purchases such as a wheelchair, bathing equipment, anti-epileptic drugs, rehab sessions, hypoallergenic baby formula and now the ketogenic diet, as well as a special needs car seat.
The parents are praying that with the Lord’s continual Mercy and Grace, as well as the right therapy, Jasmijn will still have a chance at a normal life.
Uncontrolled epilepsy remains the problem: every time she has a seizure, it may damage her brain and delay her development further. She is currently on 5 anti-epileptic drugs (amongst others) but her epilepsy is still not under control. The family is doing everything they can to ensure the best possible outcome for Jasmijn.
In need of urgent financial assistance to help Jasmijn with her medical condition, the Duvenhage family have launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to appeal to the public for much-needed support.
Since June 2022, Jasmijn has also been in and out of several paediatric ICUs, battling various infections, due to her poor immune system. This brave little girl even had to spend Christmas 2022 and new year 2023 in the paediatric ICU.
The parents and doctors are hoping to get her home soon though. Currently, she is receiving 24-hour continuous feeds and will have to be managed on non-invasive ventilation at home until her muscle tone improves enough for her to breathe well on her own.
To date, approximately R111 000 has been raised from 47 incredible donors, towards their fundraising target of R250 000
“We are doing everything we can do to make sure that Jasmijn gets the correct medical care. All contributions towards our BackaBuddy campaign will be used to ensure that Jasmijn receives the best therapy. “
Please help give Jasmijn a better fighting chance to live a more victorious life with her loved ones.
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R380 Million.
BackaBuddy is South Africa’s leading online donations-based platform. They are looking for an enthusiastic, flexible and compassionate Verification Officer to join them in their friendly team.
Position Objective:
Position: Verification Officer Reports to: COO Location: Cape Town CBD (flexible remote working) Work hours: Monday – Friday, 8 am to 5 pm Salary: Market-related Employment type: 4 months contract with the option to go permanent Start date: ASAP
Primary Responsibilities and Duties:
Provide high-quality email and phone support to customers and other stakeholders to ensure fundraiser authenticity and safe delivery of funds for beneficiaries.
Proactively vet fundraisers and interpret fundraiser content in accordance with the BackaBuddy Terms of Service, in addition to staying up-to-date on the latest trends and assisting with evaluating policy.
Manage banking details collection from the beneficiaries and ensure that the Finance team have the correct information to payout funds owed according to strict timelines.
Manage ad-hoc payment requests/donor refund requests received from beneficiaries.
Respond to and investigate reports a fundraiser queries.
Work with the customer service, marketing and finance teams, and others to ensure fundraisers on BackaBuddy are legitimate and donations are delivered to the correct parties.
Field questions and vet fundraisers for the Communities team, collaboratively work with all teams on a regular basis and in emergencies and become an expert in quickly resolving complicated issues through email, phone, and messaging software (Zoho Desk ticketing programme).
Identify trends, handle escalations, and ensure safe delivery of funds for beneficiaries.
Develop a deep understanding of trust-related issues and a willingness to experiment with bold, novel solutions.
Consistently improve and enhance our internal processes and systems.
Interpret data, analyze results, and create risk models, and bring that perspective to the team.
Provide invaluable feedback to our Dev Team to build Trust & Safety into the BackaBuddy platform.
Requirements:
Exemplify BackaBuddy’s core values (performance, accountability, effectiveness) and embody company and team culture
Are a consistent high-performer in metrics
Are an effective problem solver: spots issues or efficiency gains and brings solutions forward
Exude strong leadership skills
Able to think critically and be a fast learner
Display natural ability to “think big” and take initiative
Understand and help guide the vision of the company and team
See every interaction as a chance to build rapport and strengthen the public perception of BackaBuddy
Are comfortable engaging with industry leaders
Adaptable in a fast-paced work environment
Must have own laptop and stable internet connection
To apply:
Please submit a cover letter, resume, and salary requirements to:[email protected]. Only those whose applications are being considered will be contacted. No phone calls, please.
Create a crowdfunding campaign
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R380 Million.
Pictured above: Elijah Cottle at a surprise visit at Waterfront Helicopter Tours. Elijah loves Cars, Planes, Trains, Helicopters, Boats, and basically all modes of transportation.
Elijah Cottle, a 3-year-old boy from Hout Bay, Cape Town, South Africa, was diagnosed with Acute Flaccid Myelitis (AFM), a rare and serious polio-like condition that left him paralyzed from the waist down.
Despite the devastating news, Elijah remained positive and cheerful as he fought for his life in the ICU at Christiaan Barnard Hospital in Cape Town. After several months of intense treatment and recovery, Elijah was finally discharged from the hospital in September 2022. His family was overjoyed to have him home, but they knew that the road to recovery would be long and costly.
Pictured above: Elijah Cottle at Christiaan Barnard Hospital in Cape Town on 19th August 2022, after his Tracheostomy operation
Elijah dreams of walking again
Currently, Elijah’s rehabilitation schedule is intense, with 4-day sessions every week consisting of physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, and hydrotherapy. He also has a caregiver to assist with his needs and transportation to and from therapies. Despite the challenges, Elijah remains determined to recover and regain his mobility.
“Elijah has shown his resilience, strength and bravery throughout this experience. Our gift from God, who loved to run, jump and once believed he could do anything, has been stripped of this and will now learn to adjust to his new quality of life from a wheelchair. We are all learning about the boundless courage it takes to fuel his path to recovery. “ – says Courtney.
Pictured above: Elijah Cottle lives with his family in Hout Bay.
With Elijah’s condition showing little improvement, his family began researching other options overseas. They learned of a procedure called a Nerve Transfer Surgery that has been performed successfully on a boy with similar symptoms in the United States and could be Elijah’s best chance at walking again.
However, the family faces significant financial obstacles to get Elijah to the United States for a procedure that their medical aid will not cover. They have launched a crowdfunding campaign with a goal of raising R500,000.
Pictured above: Isaiah Cottle (Elijah’s Brother), Courtney Matthei (Elijah’s Mom). Dino Cottle (Elijah’s Dad) and Elijah Cottle
The outpouring of support from the community has been overwhelming. Friends, family, and even strangers have donated to the campaign, raising over R260 000 for Elijah’s much-needed treatment.
The Cottle family remain hopeful and grateful for the support they have received thus far. The family is asking for continued support and donations to help Elijah on his journey to recovery and raise awareness about AFM. Despite the challenges they are facing, they remain determined to give Elijah the best chance to walk again.
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 10 000+ individuals and charities in setting up fundraising campaigns for medical fees, tuition and various causes in South Africa. The platform has thus far risen over R380 Million.
