On 1 September 2021, in the early hours of the morning, Shadrack Kuchale (38) From Cosmo City, Johannesburg, was on his way to work, when he was attacked and held at gunpoint.
The situation soon escalated when the assailants shot the father of two in the neck, stole his cellphone, and dragged him to the nearby ATM, withdrawing R5000 from his bank account.
With complete disregard for Shadrack’s life and well-being, he was left for dead in the street. Fighting for his life and in severe pain, Shadrack waited 12 hours for a bed at the local government hospital before eventually being admitted.
Pictured above: Shadrack and his wife, Eunice, and their two children.
After being assessed by a neurosurgeon, and having a CT scan, Shadrack’s worst fears were soon realized: The bullet from the attack entered the highest part of his spine, shattering his spinal cord, and then traveled to his lung and punctured it.
Sadly, Shadrack is now completely paralysed from the shoulders down and will remain a quadriplegic for the rest of his life, as no amount of physiotherapy can restore his spinal fluid or movement in his body.
Before Shadrack’s life-changing ordeal, he was the breadwinner for his wife, and two children aged 8 and 11, earning R6400 a month. He was a beacon of hope in his community, and a true leader everyone admired and looked up to.
“I want nothing more than to provide for my family, find a job that gives me purpose and meaning in this life, a hobby that can give me peace of mind and keep my mind occupied. Most of all, I want to continue being the hero I have always been in my home, and get back some of the dignity that I didn’t lose, but was taken from me” – says Shadrack
Shadrack and his wife, Eunice, and their two children.
To help Shadrack cover his ongoing medical costs and living expenses after this life-altering attack, non-profit organisation, The Angel Network, launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to lend a helping hand.
Since Shadrack’s campaign launched on 16 September 2021, over R350 000 has been raised to support him and his family with medical costs as well as monthly expenses such as rent, food and school fees.
“I would never have imagined that so many people would open their hearts for me in my time of need, and carry me on their shoulders during my darkest moments. Without the donors, I don’t know how I would have made it to this point. ‘Thank you’ will never be enough” – says Shadrack
Now half a year later, most of the funds that were raised for Shadrack’s care have been put to good use, covering his extensive medical needs, say Carin Silberman and Gail Mabalane, good samaritans who have walked alongside Shadrack.
“Shadrack and his wife, who is employed as a domestic worker, have faced tremendous financial pressure, dealing with their new reality and could use all our continued love and support. Shadrack and his family have a long road to healing ahead both physically and emotionally.” – say Carin & Gail Mabalane
With support, Shadrack hopes to get a lighter wheelchair that will enable him to move more freely. God willing, Shadrack would desperately like to begin Trauma counselling to address the emotional scars that still haven’t healed since his ordeal.
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/shadrack-kuchale
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Shadrackkuchale
All donors are eligible for a Section 18A tax certificate issued by The Angel Network.
The Angel Network is an organization, run solely via the power of social media. They are a registered Non-Profit Organisation (NPO: 181-947) and Public Benefits Organisation (PBO).
Their goal is to create a gateway for giving. A platform from which helping where help is needed, is easily accessible to anyone wanting to do a little more, and give a little more.
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 raised over R270 Million.
On the 3rd of August 2020, Hlengiwe Msimango (30), affectionately known as ‘Pearl’, lost her life, when she was tragically killed by her husband, who allegedly mistook her for an intruder in their home in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Described as “a vibrant soul who brought joy to everyone she encountered”, Pearl is sorely missed by her loved ones, as well as her 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter who devastatingly witnessed her mother’s death a year ago.
#JusticeForHlengiwe
Since the heartbreaking incident, a murder charge has been laid against Pearl’s husband Mosa Ntsibande, and his pre-trial will begin on the 14 October in the High Court in Johannesburg.
According to The World Health Organisation (WHO), 12.1 in every 100 000 women are victims of femicide in South Africa each year – a figure which is five times worse than the global average.
“I hope that Pearl gets the justice she deserves and that this case will be a lesson to all men that heinous actions have consequences” – says KT Swart, a friend of Pearl.
Keeping Pearl’s memory alive
To honour the life and memory of her friend, KT has done her best to provide for Pearl’s children in her absence, by covering their schooling costs, and delivering food and nappies whenever she can.
Reaching out to the public for support, KT has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to help cover the cost of the children’s trauma counselling, as well as their education and living expenses for the foreseeable future.
Pictured above: KT and Pearl
Through generous donations, over R8000 has been raised since the launch of the crowdfunding campaign.
KT’s dream is to see Pearl’s children finish university and lead happy, independent, successful lives, which is what Pearl would’ve wanted.
“I am sure there are many out there, like me, who would like to donate to this cause in an attempt to positively impact the lives of these two precious children who have already dealt with so much. Please support our plight to change the trajectory of these children’s lives, and to keep Pearl’s memory alive. #JusticeForHlengiwe” – says KT
Support Pearl’s children by donating BackaBuddy:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/pearl
Alternatively, donate Snapscan:
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/SupportPearlsChildren
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 raised over R270 Million.
Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa, a living museum that tells the story of South Africa’s journey to democracy, will be celebrating its 25 years since the constitution was signed December 1996.
As part of the commemoration, an enormous retrospective exhibition, ‘Death and Resurrection’, is underway to showcase the prolific artworks that the Keiskamma Art Project have produced over two decades which explore the fabric of Xhosa narrative, South African and African society, unravelling and re-stitching histories into symbolically charged tapestries that read like storybooks.
Pictured above: Artists working on the Keiskamma Altarpiece outside the studio in Hamburg, Eastern Cape.
Through cutting and stitching, simultaneously, socio-political inquiries, responses and experiences of plagues and pandemics, humanity and hope are brought to the fore in engaging needlework and textile which are recognised for their place in art history on the African continent and in the international art community.
This exhibition will also be a way of celebrating those who have shared skills and built extraordinary relationships with the community of Hamburg in the Eastern Cape. Exchanges of talent and trust have been at the heart of a generous interchange between the artists and a global community.
Pictured above: Artists laying out the sequence of the panels for the Keiskamma Tapestry.
“This retrospective exhibition foregrounds the traditional oral histories and acts as a loudhailer through which to amplify the stories and experiences by, and for the people who are otherwise not heard. Through simultaneous narration and documentation we hope to foster a safe environment to promote healing and sharing to bring people and diverse communities together.” – says Azu Nwagbogu, world renowned curator and art collector, Founder and Director of African Artist’s Foundation, ex Interim Director/Head Curator of the Zietz Museum of Contemporary Art, Founder and Director of LagosPhoto Festival, creator of Art Base Africa
Pictured above: Azu Nwagbogu world-renowned curator and art collector @azubogu
Crowdfunding on BackaBuddy
To realise the dream of bringing this exhibition, which promises to be one of the best exhibitions South Africa has ever seen, to Constitution Hill in 2022, the Keiskamma Art Project, is reaching out to the public for support through a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy.
“For 20 years, we have seen first-hand the magic that is possible through community. The Keiskamma Art Project is a testament to this. It is for this reason that we look to crowd-funding to make this vision a magnificent reality of world-class standards to be shared and marvelled by all.” – says Pippa Hetherington, curator Death and Resurrection.
Pictured above: A rendering of the exhibition space showcasing the Keiskamma Guernica, made in 2010, mixed media including appliqué, embroidery, felt, wire, blankets, metal, beads.
Since the launch of the campaign, over R246 047.18 has already been raised towards the fundraising target of R1 234 000, which is needed by 30th November 2021 to secure the date of the exhibition and start production.
The project has so far secured generous donations from Constitution Hill, Eastern Cape Provincial Arts and Culture Council (ECPACC), Kathy Robins, Wendy Ackerman and a number of anonymous donations.
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“We truly believe that this is an opportunity to challenge the perception of contemporary African art and showcase a collective on African soil and then for it to travel. Apart from the national and international impact of providing insight to social, health and art intersections, the visibility of the Keiskamma Art Project is vital for the knock-on effect of the sustainability of the artmaking and the livelihoods of the artists.” – says Michaela Howse, project manager Keiskamma Art Project
Donate to support The Keiskamma Project on BackaBuddy here:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/death-and-resurrection
Alternatively, donate Snapscan here:
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Death_and_Resurrection
View the artworks and digital catalogue here:
https://keiskammaartproject.org/#exhibition
Social media links:
https://www.instagram.com/death_and_resurrection_/
https://www.facebook.com/keiskammadeathresurrection
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 raised over R270 Million.
Local master distiller and brewery owner, Peter Dickens (53), from Overstrand, Western Cape, was hospitalized on 24 July 2021, and remains in high ICU care in critical condition, after contracting COVID-19.
Pictured above: Peter Dickens
After the Provincial Hospital in Hermanus had done everything they could to help Peter with the equipment they had, Peter was transferred to Mediclinic as he was in need of emergency intervention, and he did not qualify for higher care treatment in another Provincial Hospital.
As Peter is unable to breathe without the help of a ventilator, and his progress has been slow and unpredictable, Mediclinic predicts Peter’s recovery will be prolonged.
Pictured above: Karen holds Peter’s hand in ICU
Mounting medical bills
Without medical aid, the cost of Peter’s hospitalization as a private patient has reached a staggering R700 000 to date, which has placed tremendous financial stress on the family, who are doing everything they can to keep him in hospital to get the help he desperately needs.
Currently, it costs approximately R25 000 a day to keep Peter at the private facility, a moving target which only escalates as various procedures and interventions are required. Being a private patient, the family also needs to cover the medical costs a week in advance.
Pictured above: Peter with his wife Karen of 28 years
Upon hearing about Peter’s deteriorating health, Karen’s customer, now friend, Diane Forster, launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, to appeal to the public for support during this difficult time.
With the support of 80 donations both big and small, over R200 000 has been raised since the launch of the campaign that hopes to raise over R700 000 to get the beloved business owner the best treatment.
“Life doesn’t have a price, hope does. That hope is captured in every contribution that is made. Many of us will never meet Peter, but each one who has contributed will know that in these very difficult times they made a difference. Our BackaBuddy campaign is simply about making a difference to Peter and his family, but right now, the reality is that Karen doesn’t need another casserole, she needs cash. ” – says Diane
The Dickens family has been overwhelmed by support
“To our wonderful donors, thank you for raising us on your shoulders and the immense power of your support for my ‘Miracle Man’ who has the biggest heart in the world. Thank you for the out-pour of love and care, it means the world to us knowing we are not alone. Your donations humble me, and gives me strength knowing we can keep on fighting. My gratitude extends to thankless, tiresome efforts by the Doctors, Sisters and all the Hospital staff for all the have done for my Peter” – says Karen
Donate to support Peter’s medical treatment on BackaBuddy here:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/peter-dickens
Alternatively, make a donation via Snapscan here:
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/Peter-dickens
More info:
Peter is the owner of The Spirit of Hermanus operating as Old Tin Hat Brewery, Folk & Goode Brewing Company and Fiddler’s spirit range
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 raised over R270 Million.
A crowdfunding campaign has been launched on BackaBuddy by FundingHub, to help small business owner, Suveer Pakkoo (38), from Howick, Pietermaritzburg, recover from the devastating looting and unrest that destroyed his company Badges and Signs.
To help Suveer get back to business, he will need to replace 6 machines (estimated at R20 000) and almost R15 000 in raw materials that were stolen during the looting. Some suppliers who are affiliated with the business have kindly lent a few machines to Suveer so they can continue their operations and deliver on the jobs they were busy with prior to the unrest.
Without insurance Suveer has suffered a tremendous loss, but thanks to kind support from his community, he is almost back on his feet.
With generous support from 11 donors, almost R29 000 has been raised towards Suveer’s fundraising target of R45 000 on BackaBuddy.
“I’m 38 years of age & have two kids, so I am not at a stage to quit, I have built my business from the start & am going to see this through. I appreciate that there is still hope out there.” – says Suveer.
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/
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 raised over R260 Million.
Every year millions of children die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene, according to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Tracker.
In South Africa, this reality manifests itself as children in over 3 000 schools are using dangerous pit latrines (toilets) in their learning environment.
As a solution to this dire problem, The HomeComing Foundation, based in Pretoria, has launched groundbreaking initiative, #TheBucketStopsWithMe, to assist in the eradication of pit/bucket toilets in schools and replace them with dignified and safe sanitation infrastructure, including taps and toilets for schools in need.
Picture Above: The Foundation’s mission is to ensure that the next generation is equipped with the adequate tools for future success.
“We understand that quality education is accompanied by a clean environment, sufficient equipment, and a safe space for students to thrive. #TheBucketStopsWithMe initiative is the first project from our foundation, and we are proud to embark on this transformative journey that will address key problem areas in learning environments,” says the Managing Director of HomeComing Foundation, Kopano Bookholane.
With the first phase of this initiative, HomeComing Foundation aims to raise enough funds to transform the sanitation challenges in up to 4 schools. So far, #TheBucketStopsWithMe has managed to raise over R62 000 via the BackaBuddy crowdfunding platform.
“The funds raised are allocated towards the implementation of a non-polluting, cost-effective toilet system, plus the safe and hygienic infrastructure to house it,” explains Kopano.
To amplify its fundraising efforts, the #TheBucketStopsWithMe initiative has joined forces with media personalities, Hulisani Ravele and Dr. Musa Mthombeni, as its key spokespersons.
“We have both had the privilege of being educated in learning environments that were safe and clean. Our parents never had to carry the fear of receiving a phone call from the school saying that we had fallen down a pit toilet or contracted an illness as a result of unhygienic conditions. For this fear to still be a reality for so many parents and learners speaks to the crisis our education system finds itself in. We’re excited to lend not only our voices but also our hands to HomeComing Foundation,” said Ravele and Mthombeni.
The Homecoming Foundation #TheBucketStopsWithMe Initiative is live and both individuals and corporates are encouraged to pledge their donations as we aim to eradicate pit toilets and the buckets system, thus creating safe and hygienic learning spaces for students to thrive.
Donate to support #TheBucketStopsWithMe initiative:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/homecomingnpc-campaign
Donate via Snapscan
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/HomecomingFoundationNPC
The Homecoming Foundation (HCF), is on a mission to make sure that the next generation is equipped with the best possible chance of achieving success. We understand that quality education is accompanied by a clean environment, sufficient equipment, and a safe space for students to thrive.
For more information on #TheBucketStopsWithMe please follow the foundation on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.
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 raised over R270 Million.
