While the iconic great white shark is without a doubt the most recognisable in False Bay in the Western Cape, it might surprise you that more than 20 different shark species have been seen in the region.
Bringing awareness to the 13 lesser-known species that are commonly found on these shores, a group of enthusiastic swimmers will dive into the award-winning Fish Hoek exclusion net on the 27th of March 2021, and swim 13km inside the exclusion zone, to raise awareness and funds for Shark Spotters.
Show your support for the swimmers
Leigh De Necker (28), an from the Two Oceans Aquarium and the driving force behind the swim, has been a long-time supporter of Shark Spotters, having been a past student at the organisation, completing her thesis on the trophic dynamics of the broad nose sevengill shark.
With her crowdfunding campaign launched on BackaBuddy, Leigh has raised over R11 000 towards her fundraising target of R13 000 in anticipation of the swim that will benefit Shark Spotters and their safety, education, and conservation activities.
Braving the water with Leigh, but swimming in a relay, 13 members of the Shark Net Crew, who raise the Fish Hoek shark exclusion barrier in the sea every day during the spring and summer months, have also launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to raise funds for the wages and equipment of 40 of their fellow team members.
They have thus far raised over R12 000 towards their fundraising target of R26 000 on the fundraising platform.
The Shark Spotters Net Crew has been training hard for their upcoming swim
“Swimming inside the award-winning Fish Hoek shark exclusion net highlights our ability, to live alongside sharks, coexisting in the shared ocean space, rather than resorting to lethal methods to prevent human-shark interactions.” Says Sarah Waries
Connect with Shark Spotters
Shark Spotters is a pioneering shark safety and research organisation that has attracted international attention because of the novel way it pro-actively reduces interactions and conflict between recreational water users and white sharks. Started in 2004 in response to a spate of shark bite incidents and increased shark sightings, Shark Spotters is now the primary shark safety strategy used in Cape Town.
Image credit: Gerald Schombs
Shark Spotters improves beach safety by applying innovative and responsible shark safety solutions that reduce the spatial overlap between people and sharks, thereby reducing the risk of a shark bite. We also provide emergency response in the event of a shark incident, as well as to conduct cutting-edge applied research on shark behaviour and ecology, raise awareness about shark safety and conservation issues, and provide employment opportunities and skills development for shark spotters.
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 R200 Million.
With an ever-increasing litter problem in Fourways, the Jukskei River, and its surrounds, The SW Living Creatures Trust, led by Sean Williams (50) from Lonehill, Johannesburg, has embarked on a clean-up project that is gaining momentum.
Launched in November 2020, the Live Life Always project, which has created job opportunities for 8 otherwise unemployed Diepsloot residents, has collected over 62 280 bags of litter, which amounts to over 410 tonnes of waste.
The program is not only supporting families who have been tremendously affected by the lockdown, but is highlighting the devastating impact waste plastic and litter has on our planet.
“My passion has always been about saving our beautiful planet and if we don’t as a human race make a change, then my daughter being 5 years old, will be the last generation on this planet. Together we have to make the change and not leave it for someone else to take on this responsibility. We will clean up this planet, one bag at a time” – says Sean
Sean Williams
Crowdfunding on Backabuddy
As the operation relies on donations to operate and sustain itself, the enthusiastic planet-warriors have launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, to appeal for the public for support.
Since the launch of the campaign to cover the program’s operational costs and pay the salaries of the volunteers, overR155 000.00 has been raised from kind residents and donors across the globe. Live Real Estate (Lonehill), fourways (Leroy Merlin), Plastics SA and Fourways Crossing have also come on board to support the cause.
The project, which caters to the community of Fourways & Diepsloot in Gauteng and Rosendal in the Eastern Free State, and has recently expanded into Sunninghill, Sandton, Douglasdale, Rivonia, and Strydom Park, requires an estimate of R25 000 a week to run effectively.
The campaign hopes to raise a total of R250 000 to keep the project running smoothly for the next 10 weeks.
‘In efforts to create more funds, I have built this Plastic muncher, Ecobrick maker for schools to stuff their single use plastics into a empty 2 litre plastic bottle. I sell them for R2600 per unit. The colours can change depending on the different school houses in the schools, so it can be a competition between children at schools. We have finished another Ecobrick bench, using 1000 ecobricks at the Beverley Park in Lonehill and Lita at Play was the mural artist’, says Sean.
Solomon Majwe.
How your donation can make a difference:
– Your R100 donation will pay for transport for 3 employees for a day.
– Your R250 donation will cover 1 day’s wage, lunch and transport for 1 employee.
– Your R1,000 donation will cover 4 employee’s costs per day.
– Your R3,750 donation will cover the team’s wages, food & transport for 1 full day
– Your R5,000 donation will cover the admin costs of the operation for 1 week.
– Your R18,750 donation will keep a whole team of 15 people employed for 1 week.
– Your R25,000 donation will sustain the entire operation for 1 week.
Support this cause on BackaBuddy by donating here:
When Mornay Le Roux (49), a doting dad from Hilton, Kwa-zulu Natal was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer in August 2019, it shocked his family and three daughters aged 5, 19 and 26.
Rocked by the news but determined to put up a fight, Mornay, spent his life-savings to cover his medical expenses as he had to undergo a liver operation, multiple rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and cover the cost of his surplus hospital and surgeon bills.
Mornay and his daughters
After a year-long battle with this dread disease, doctors pronounced that Mornay was finally in remission.
This was a great feat for the Le Roux family, but their celebration was short-lived.
In October 2020, just two months after receiving the ‘all-clear’, tests revealed that Mornay’s cancer was back with a vengeance and had spread to his lymph nodes, liver, and had begun attacking his immune system. Mornay Le Roux
In November 2020, Mornay had to undergo another liver operation to remove a sizable tumour.
Whilst in hospital, he faced another setback when he picked up a superbug and had to be re-hospitalised for 7 weeks. Furthermore, Mornay had a fifth of his lung removed due to the abscess the superbug caused.
Crowdfunding on BackaBuddy
To continue his aggressive chemotherapy, which makes him incredibly ill, Mornay cannot return full time to his work as a labour consultant.
To alleviate the financial stress Mornay is facing, the Le Roux family has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to appeal to the public for support as Mornay fights for his health.
With the support of generous donors, over R 162 987.90has been raised towards their fundraising target of R400 000 with contributions from 131 donors from Hilton, Pietermaritzburg and around the globe.
“Mornay is humble, kind, and was reluctant to appeal for any sort of donation, but at this point, it is all we have left. We want to alleviate the financial stresses he faces so he can focus fully on healing and his next 6 months of aggressive chemotherapy. We want and need him to be around for his family for many more years to come. “ – says Kelly Stegen who helped Mornay set up his campaign.
Support Mornay’s medical treatment by donating to his campaign here:
Born to an underprivileged family, Robert Maposa (43) from Mamelodi East, Pretoria, learned to make the most out of his limited opportunities.
Determined to build a better life for his wife, Hitahlula, and their two sons, Wonderful and Timothy, Robert worked as a gardener and did odd jobs to put himself through matric at the age of 28 and then went on to study a law degree.
Despite the obstacles in his path, Robert exceeded all expectations, passing his LLB degree from UNISA with distinction.
As finding a job has proven difficult without a vehicle of his own, Jonathan Smith (23), who has known Robert for the past 15 years, as he has worked for his family, launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to surprise Robert with a second hand car to expand his work opportunities as he prepares for his board exams.
“I have been so fortunate to grow up around Robert, when I was younger he would tell me stories and let me help in the garden. As I’ve grown, I’ve learned to appreciate his kind spirit even more and I couldn’t be prouder of what he has achieved. I know given the slightest chance that he will be a major success” – says Jonathan.
Jonathan Smith
Overwhelmed with support, Jonathan’s campaign to purchase a set of wheels for Robert has raised over R40 000 towards the fundraising target of R60 000 with contributions from 85 donors.
“We are so excited to read Robert the messages of support he has received and let him know that we have been raising funds for a car for him in ‘secret’. He has worked so hard and so diligently for so long, he really deserves all the praise” – says Jonathan.
Jonathan says additional funds raised by the campaign will be used to purchase Robert a laptop and smart work clothes as he begins his new journey.
Donors have started to respond with kind messages of support:
“Most inspiring story. Blown away by your commitment and dedication. Wish you nothing but all the success you deserve. ” – Caz Lea
“You are one of the few who build a door when there are none to knock on. Well done!! Good luck ” – Christine
“Thank you for all your hard work and for looking after me. You deserve this! Im so proud of you!” – Ina smith
“Every setback is a set up for a come back, and your comeback is nothing short of exceptional. To a man who defied circumstances, I wish you nothing but the best. ” – Tatton
“Robert, you are an inspiration! I’m grateful for the opportunity to support your dream ” – Leah Scholtz
From a young age, Ethan Palagangwe (10), a talented singer from Mitchells Plain, Cape Town has been drawn to music.
Inspired by his songstress mom, he can often be heard around the house, singing songs by his favourite musicians such as Chris Brown, Michae Jackson, Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber.
“Ethan started singing around the house at the age of 8. When he started singing for our friends and family at gatherings, we realized that he has a God given talent that we needed to nurture.” says Ethan’s mom, Candice.
When Ethan’s parents saw that the prestigious Drakensberg Boys Choir School in Kwa-Zulu Natal was having an open call to auditions, they signed him up, in hopes that he would be given a once in a lifetime opportunity to sharpen his singing skills and receive a world-class education.
Performing one of his favourite songs, “Ben”, by Michael Jackson, Ethan soaked up the spotlight and was one of only 30 students, out of 1600, to receive an acceptance letter to enrol at the private school.
Unable to cover the cost of his schooling, which amounts to approximately R 175 000 for his first year, Ethan’s parents launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy that has thus far raised over R98 000 with contributions from 26 donors both locally and internationally.
The Palagangwe family from left are Cade, Kagisho, Ethan, Candice and Kaycee. Picture: Plainsman
With his acceptance fee and uniform covered, Ethan has already begun his first semester through online classes.
Starting on a high note, he has already received 92% for his first music theory assignment, despite never taking music studies. He is also excelling in his mathematics quizzes.
Needing additional funding for the remainder of his fees for the school year, Ethan’s parents hope the public will continue to support his dreams.
“We are going to miss seeing our little man everyday, but we know he will continue to make us proud and inspire others with his unique gift. A new and exciting journey lies ahead!” says Ethan’s proud dad, Kagisho
Ethan will officially arrive at his new school on the 1 February 2021.
For a crowdfunding campaign to succeed in the digital age, campaign creators need to connect with their audience through positive storytelling and visual content.
In this guide, we will be discussing how video content can empower your campaign and allow you to raise more funds and awareness for your cause.
If you missed our guide on campaign story writing, please click here.
Why create a campaign video?
Crowdfunding campaigns supported with relevant and campaign-specific video content tend to raise 4 times more funds on average.
When sharing on social media, video content also increases your engagement up to 7 times – this means that your post is more likely to be shared and reach more people than a static image or written post.
Shoot a video on your phone
For the purpose of a crowdfunding campaign, you don’t need professional lighting, equipment or editing skills to convey a powerful message.
We recommend shooting a short, personal and informal message on your cellphone that can be posted on social media as well as your crowdfunding campaign.
Make sure you are presentable and wearing comfortable clothes (try to avoid clothes with busy designs or alot of text).
Choose a clearbackdrop or tidy background to shoot your video.
Try to eliminate as much background noise as possible.
Lastly, just be yourself.
Telling your story
Keeping in mind that your video should be between 1-3 minutes long, try to answer these questions in a friendly, positive manner:
Who are you fundraising for?
What are you fundraising for and how will funds be used?
What will the positive impact of donations be?
What lead you to crowdfund? (Turning point)
What is your time-frame?
How will funds be administered? (paid into a personal account or directly to a supplier/institution?)
Let viewers know where they can make a donation
Ask viewers to support your campaign by donating on BackaBuddy and ask them to help share your campaign with their friends and family.
*Remember to include your campaign link in the post you create, to make donations easy.
Include text and images in your video
Did you know? Videos are commonly watched without sound? Using simple video editing software, make your video more engaging by adding images, text, captions or animations to expand on your campaign message.
Video Editing software to use
For simple video editing, we recommend using apps like Vue or InShot – free apps available on both IOS and Android devices. Watch these tutorials below to help you make your decision.
If you would like to include music in your video, avoid copyrighted material as this is often muted on social media and could have legal implications.
Luckily, YouTube has put together an Audio Library of free, copyrighted music anyone can use.
Take a look at these inspiring videos on BackaBuddy
From living as a homeless man on the streets of Pretoria, Llewellyn Barnes defeated all odds to participate amongst professional players in major golf tournament. With his crowdfunding campaign, set up by non-profit organization, Fearless Love, Llewellyn shared his life story and where his love of golf began. Read more.
American intern, Joseph Payne, made an inspiring and informative video for his Backabuddy campaign to support the DOCKDA Rural Development Agency. Using a combination of images, text and snippets of video, he perfectly described his crowdfunding project.
When Amahle Zenzile was unable to attend the South African Junior Chess Champions Closed in Johannesburg, her best friend and fellow competitor, Trinity Van Beeck set up a crowdfunding campaign on her behalf. In their campaign video, Trinity and Amahle challenged each other to a friendly game of chess and shared details of their close friendship. Read more.
The Owen’s family, put together an emotive video with their crowdfunding campaign for IVF treatment. With enough background information we got a sense of what they were going through.
20 years ago, Marlene Spies went into kidney failure and was in a coma for a long time. The medication she was given affected her the ability to hear and see.
To restore her hearing with a Cochlear Implant her granddaughter set up a campaign on BackaBuddy. The positive impact donations would have on Marlene’s life and wellbeing is undeniable in this short video.
Blankets for Baby Rhinos put together a short yet effective ‘thank you’ message onto their campaign to show how donations had already been put to use.
When Kerryn and Michelle Hugo shared the news with their beloved domestic worker, Antonia Mtambo that the campaign to build her a new home had exceeded their initial fundraising target, her response was so heartfelt that donations kept coming in and the video even made national news! Read more.
Did you know that on Facebook video content results in 7 times more engagement? (likes/comments/shares). Learn more about posting your campaign video on Facebook here.
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 R390 Million.
The Shark Spotters Net Crew has been training hard for their upcoming swim
Image credit: Gerald Schombs
Sean Williams
Solomon Majwe.
Sean Williams with Edharage Mukaro.
