On the 30th of September 2021, Luke Mulvey, a 9-year-old boy who lives on a smallholding in Lovemore Park, Eastern Cape, was attacked by a 250kg mother sow that he has looked after as a pet for the last 2-years.
Pictured above: Luke has always had a fondness for animals and dreams of working in animal rescue one day.
Having just flown kites with his dad, Luke stopped by the pig pen to check on their sow and her piglets, , he had done just 2 days before.
Not expecting the pig to be uneasy about his presence, as she is usually friendly and placid, Luke was caught off guard when the pig charged at him to protect her newborn babies.
Pictured above: Piglet, the mother sow.
Watching in horror, as ‘Piglet’ latched onto Luke’s arm and ‘shook him like a rag doll’, his father, David, grabbed onto the pig’s tail, using all his strength to prevent her from lunging towards Luke again and killing him.
“I am so grateful that I had the strength to hold on. It was a terrifying and traumatic experience for both of us. I thought I was going to see my son killed before my eyes. My world was turned upside down in a flash” says David.
Thankfully, Edward, who works on the farm, heard Luke’s terrified screams and rushed to the pen to lift the terrified boy to safety.
With the crushing of his left arm and the gnashing of his right hand and fingers, Luke was bleeding profusely and in severe pain while being rushed to St. George’s Hospital, where his broken arm was eventually wired and plated together.
Luke has thus far endured four surgeries, in what will be a long road to recovery, involving physiotherapy, counselling, and possibly skin grafts.
Pictured above: Luke was rushed to St. George’s Hospital after being bitten by a pig on their farm
Crowdfunding on BackaBuddy
With Luke’s medical costs exceeding over R300 000 thus far, as the family is without medical aid, the public has shown tremendous support for the Mulvey family through their crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy.
With generous support from the public, over R64 000 has been raised with kind contributions from 112 donors both locally and internationally, who have been a blessing to the family that has suffered great emotional and financial stress.
Pictured above: Despite his pain, Luke is in good spirits.
Since Luke was discharged from the hospital, he has healed tremendously and has full use of his arm and fingers. He is going for his X-Rays soon to find out when he will have the follow-up surgery to remove plates and pins.
“It took him about a month before he gained enough confidence to go outside, he has come a far way, he is still shaken and traumatised by certain things that trigger the fear he experienced during the attack such as seeing the sheep which is a hard thing for him to go through and even harder to watch as my son has a huge love for all animals,” says David.
To assist Luke in his recovery through this traumatic experience, a lovely lady from Sunflower Healing has generously offered to see and counsel him.
“She is just one of the many people who blew us away showing us kindness, love and hope, the kind of support we never imagined we would receive. We are at a loss for words to thank each and everyone of our donors, you helped to soften the financial blow and enabled Luke to get the care he needed,” says David.
Pictured above: Luke with his dad, David.
Thanks to everyone’s tremendous support of his BackaBuddy campaign, Luke’s family has been able to pay off some of the hospital bills that helped save them from the financial stress.
I am just so grateful that my son Luke is here with me today and everyone who supported us can know how eternally grateful we are to you all. Thank you to every donor whether friend or stranger and no matter how big or small a donation and also to all the people out there for the kind messages. And a huge thank you to the surgical team and nursing staff at Life St. Georges hospital for their care and kindness.
Luke having a swim and recovering well.
Donate to Luke’s campaign on BackaBuddy:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/luke-mulvey
Alternatively, donate via Snapscan:
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/luke-mulvey
Last month, Gender-based violence activist Leilani Kuter (47), from Roodepoort, Johannesburg, took on her 3rd annual walk to highlight sexual assault survivors in South Africa.
Leilani’s story
Three years ago, Leilani revisited the NG-church Youth Centre in Pretoria, where she was brutally raped, assaulted, and left for dead in 1992, when she was only 18-years-old.
In confronting her painful past, Leilani found her purpose: to shatter sexual assault stigma, shine a spotlight on survival, and empower abused women to get up, speak out, and get the help they need.
“I am inspired by people who don’t make excuses, who take control of their lives, people who get up and carry on. No matter what has happened to you, don’t let it become your life sentence” – says Leilani
Wearing yellow, the colour the attacker wore on that fateful day, Leilani stepped out of the shadows on the 27th anniversary of her assault, and walked 27km for 27 days, a total distance of 729km, uplifting survivors with every stride. Joined by over 300 individuals, including Bruce Fordyce, Leilani was encouraged to not give up.
On the 28th anniversary of her assault, Leilani returned with a nostalgic walk, walking 28km for 16 days, revisiting significant milestones and places in her life.
On the 16th of September 2021, the 29th anniversary of her sexual assault, Leilani took on a new challenge: walking for 29 hours, from Ventersdorp to Little Falls, Gauteng, to raise R290 000 on BackaBuddy, to provide women, particularly those in disadvantaged areas with access to free self-defence classes.
The self-defence classes which cost R300 per person, will take place during the 16 days of Activism in November, with Gary Lewis & Carien Davel from Never Tap Out.
“I am passionate about self-defence because if I had some of these skills in 1992, I might have been able to protect myself. These courses won’t make you a hero, but they could save your life and give you a fighting chance!” – says Leilani
On her walk, Leilani was joined by her friend Jaxy Olivier, two Guardian Angels from 1st For Women, and Gerhard Botes who will be driving closely behind to ensure their safety.
With her awareness walks, Leilani has raised over R500 000 through her non-profit organization, Yellow For Survivors NPC, to support rape crisis centres in South Africa, such as SA Women Fight Back, Tears Foundation, Purple Foundation, Bobbi Bear Foundation and many others.
In addition to her awareness walks, Leilani has also completed more than 2500km’s in dedication walks to honor women affected by gender-based violence, such as Sibongile Zenzile, Olivia Jasriel and Reeva Steenkamp.
“For me, walking has been very healing. When you look back and see how far you’ve come, you are reminded that the past is behind you and that you need to keep moving forward. When I started my walks, I had no expectations and no idea that this would change my life. Now everyone knows me as the lady with the yellow shirt. ” – says Leilani
To support Leilani’s 29 hour walk, make a donation on BackaBuddy here:
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/29hrwgbv
Alternatively, make a donation via Snapscan:
https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/29hrWalkforGBV
All donors are eligible for a Section 18A tax certificate issued by Yellow for Survivors NPC.
More more information visit Yellow for survivors: https://www.yellowforsurvivors.co.za
South Africa’s leading crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy has supported more than 44000+ 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 R500 Million.
Romario Valentine (9), a pint-size planet warrior and artist from Umhlanga, Durban, has dedicated the last 4 years of his young life to protecting our planet.
Fully focused on his passions, namely bird and marine conservation, climate change, and deforestation, Romario has remarkably completed 180 beach clean-ups to date, planted over 455 trees across 22 continents, and last year he raised over R31 000 on BackaBuddy to support the Umgeni River Bird Park in lieu of birthday gifts.
Despite only being in grade 4, Romario has become a rising star in the conservation space.
He recently made history by becoming the youngest Ambassador for Ocean Sole, a Kenyan company that recycles flip flops that wash ashore by transforming them into vibrant colourful marine and wildlife sculptures with the help of local artists.
On the 17th of June 2021, He was selected by the UNCCD “United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification” to highlight climate change and land degradation to represent them at their Desertification and Drought Day.
He has also been featured by The United Nations, 50/50, Extreme E’s Virtual Series Launch, National Geographic Kids, Global Citizen, and appeared as one of 35 activists in “What a Wonderful World” a book by Leisa Stewart-Sharpe and Lydia Hill, to be released in the United Kingdom, August 2021.
Romario celebrated his 10th birthday on 26th July 2021, staying true to his selfless nature, he once again decided to forgo birthday gifts to instead raise R20 000 on Backabuddy, to support two charities close to his heart, Birds of Eden and Zeitz Foundation.
As Romario blew out the candles on his birthday cake this year, he only had one wish, which was “to restore habitats for biodiversity and to leave a legacy for other children and generations to come”
Since the launch of his crowdfunding campaign, Romario raised over R 24 000 exceeding his fundraising target, with contributions from 71 donors both locally and abroad.
Funds raised allowed him to sponsor 350 Acacia trees to be planted in the rainy season this October/November in the Segera, Kenya with Zeitz Foundation.
His trees included a variety of baobab, coral, blackbird berry, acacia, mango, mulberry, papaya, and pepper bark which were planted last week by women from the community.
The additional funds were donated to Birds of Eden, Plettenberg Bay in Western Cape to help with the completion of 30 × 30m aviary for abandoned African Grey parrots to have a safe home and live freely.
“Trees are life, they are important for our survival and help slow down global warming. When we take care of nature, we take care of ourselves. I am grateful for all the support from my parents and everyone around the world. I believe it is my mission to protect biodiversity. ” – Romario Valentine
https://www.backabuddy.co.za/romario-valentine-10th-birthday
“As parents, we are honoured to have a humble, visionary son. Romario has been passionate about the environment and wildlife for several years. We will continue to support him the best way we can on his journey. We believe he is a Champion of the Earth. We are grateful to everyone who has supported his campaigns and his environmental journey to date. – says, Romario’s mum, Delsha Moodley
Follow Romario on Twitter: https://twitter.com/artistromario
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 R250 Million.
2021 has been a particularly difficult year for all South Africans.
We have faced the ongoing pandemic together; many of us haven’t seen our loved ones for a long time.
Some of us have lost someone close to us or know someone who has.
Many businesses have struggled and many more people have lost their jobs.
But through lockdowns and isolation, we have also witnessed the resilient South African spirit in all its glory, and have seen our people come together, more than ever before to help those in need.
On BackaBuddy, South Africa’s leading donations-based crowdfunding platform, over R55 million has been raised this year with the generous support of over 62 000 donors, who have supported almost 4000 individuals and beloved non-profit organisations.
Take a look at a few BackaBuddy campaigns launched this year that reminded us what it means to be South African, even in these trying times.
Eco-warrior Romario Valentine from Umhlanga, Durban celebrated his 10th birthday by raising over R24 000, to plant 350 trees in Kenya and build an aviary for over 3500 birds in Plettenberg Bay. Inspired by his relentless focus on improving our natural environment, Romario was invited to share his opinions on a panel with the United Nations! In the words of Greta Thunberg, ‘You’re never too little to make a difference.’
View Romario’s campaign here.
Pictured above: Romario planting trees with Beverly Hills General Manager, John Aritho, and Wayne Burgess from Burgess Landscapes.
Almost 500 donors came together to bring Dale Benson, a 39-year-old educator back home from Vietnam, after he was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and was unable to access the treatment he needed while overseas.
With over R200 000 raised, Dale arrived at Cape Town international airport and shared a heartfelt moment with his mum, Inge Bosman, who was overjoyed to see him. Our thoughts are with Dale as he continues his treatment.
View Dale’s campaign here.
Pictured above: Dale with his mum, Inge.
Despite the obstacles in his path, Robert Maposa (43) from Pretoria, who was working as a gardener, went on to pass his LLB degree from UNISA with distinction this year.
To commend Robert for his hard work and determination, almost R90 000 was raised to purchase Robert a car and professional attire to begin his new career.
View Robert’s campaign here.
Pictured above: Robert receiving his degree.
Henry Cock (34), a businessman from Sandton, Johannesburg, set out to smash the Guinness World Record for the most consecutive half marathons run in a row, while at the same time uplifting South Africans struggling with mental health issues during the lockdown.
With his campaign launched on BackaBuddy, Henry has raised over R530 000 to support The South African Depression and Anxiety group. Henry hopes to make history with the end of his challenge on 17 November 2021.
Donate to Henry’s campaign here.
With generous support from donors across South Africa, over R90 000 was raised to give Omphile Selepe (12), from Sandton his very own wheelchair.
Omphile is living with x-linked Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a rare life-threatening genetic brain disease that has inhibited his ability to walk, speak and function indepently. With his specialized chair, Omphile’s quality of life has improved tremendously, while bravely fighting his condition, never giving up his beaming smile.
View Omphile’s campaign here.
Pictured above: Omphile with his sister, Ntabiseng Selepe.
Listen as BackaBuddy COO, Catherine Du Plooy speaks to SmileFm , (6/10/2021), about how we’ve seen our people come together, more than ever before to help those in need.
Thank you South Africa for reminding us of all the kindness and love we as a society have to offer.
Connect with BackaBuddy to support a loved one or uplift a cause or organisation in your community.
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.
When Naledi Thahanyane (4) from Johannesburg was 6 months old when she was placed in the care of Juno Aurora Haven, a home for abused and neglected children in Sandton.
Fragile at first, the charismatic young lady soon went on to reach her milestones in leaps and bounds.
“When we met little Naledi, she was tiny and underdeveloped. With healthy food, love, and encouragement, we have seen her blossom into the princess she is today. She is such a vibrant, inquisitive, busy, and loving child. She steals the hearts of everyone who meets her” -says Melody Eggar, a volunteer at Juno Aurora Haven.
Pictured above: Melody Eggar with Naledi
When Naledi was taken to a pediatrician for a regular checkup three years ago, it was discovered that she had a heart defect, a growth just below the left aorta. The news was devastating to her caregivers and so began the waiting game.
Waiting for the growth to increase in size, to be safely removed, her cardiology team at Johannesburg Hospital saw Naledi for regular visits, to determine when her surgery should take place.
In May 2020, upon seeing a slight trickle of blood mixing, Naledi’s doctor gave the go-ahead for her to have surgery within the 6 months to follow.
After her surgery was scheduled, Juno Aurora Haven launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, in hopes to raise the much-needed funds to correct the hole in Naledi’s heart and ultimately save her life.
“Over the past few weeks Naledi has been tiring more easily and sleeping more than usual. We are doing our best to keep her safe and keep her spirits up. We know that without this operation, she won’t be with us for her next birthday, and that’s too difficult to contemplate. We hope the public will support our BackaBuddy campaign so we can save our little earth angel” – says Melody.
On Monday, 9th of November, after Naledi met with her surgeons, Radio 702 interviewed Melody Eggar for their #letswalkthetalk segment. In less than 12 hours, listeners contributed over R110 000 to Naledi’s BackaBuddy campaign.
Listen to the interview
On Thursday, 14 July 2022, Naledi had a check up with her paediatric cardiologist and he is very happy with her progress and she only needs to go back in July 2023!
About BackaBuddy: