Between the 5th and 9th of April, Christine Roos (29) – a passionate swimmer and philanthropist from Benoni – will brave the cold Atlantic in a 7,4km swim from Robben Island to Big Bay to raise R50 000 for the SA Bone Marrow Registry.
The historic Robben Island crossing, dubbed the “Island Escape” is described as “gruelling” by elite open-water swimmers, but this has not deterred Christine, who is a novice swimmer.
To allow for safe weather conditions, a five-day window period has been allocated for the swim.
Christine says the challenge is nothing compared to suffering from a life-threatening blood disorder and not being able to afford the treatment.
“The swim is but three or so hours of my life compared to many hours, months or even years that patients suffer with blood-related cancers and often a transplant is their only hope of survival. As a registered stem cell donor, I’ve made it my mission to spread awareness of the life-saving work that the SABMR does and the difference every one of us can make by becoming a donor – be it via word of mouth or pushing myself to the limits.” – says Christine
Christine signed up as a bone marrow donor at a registration drive in Gauteng some two years ago and has been an advocate for bone marrow donation ever since. The same year she also participated in the 947 Cycle Challenge as part of a team of cyclists, where R150 000 was raised for the registry on BackaBuddy.
Christine says the swimming challenge has been months in the making.
“I have been training in dams and pools around Gauteng every opportunity I get. I have always played competitive sport, so enjoy challenging myself and pushing boundaries. You have to be both physically and mentally fit for this swim. Once your head is in the game, the battle is half won.” – says Christine
The money raised from Roos’ BackaBuddy Champion page will go towards the SABMR’s Patient Assistance Programme, that provides financial assistance to families who cannot afford the cost of finding a suitable donor.
Christine says she hopes that the public will support her cause on BackaBuddy.
“I know that times are tough, but I’m asking each and every one of you to give what you can. Even if it’s just a little bit, it all contributes to saving someone’s life.” – says Christine
Kamiel Singh, Head of Sustainability for the SABMR says the NGO has been trying to recoup lost funding.
“The majority of our physical fundraising events were cancelled last year due to lockdown restrictions, so we’re slowly, but surely trying to get back on our feet. We are extremely grateful to Christine for championing this cause and making life-saving treatments available to more patients. She’s a true hero!” – says Kamiel Singh
Kamiel Singh
To donate to Christine’s cause, visit her BackaBuddy 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 raised over R200 Million.
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:
In July 2020, Shaun and Bianca Pretorius from Benoni, Johannesburg, learned the devastating news that their son, Shaunie (11), a bright and happy young boy, was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive, and terminal type of brain cancer called Brainstem Glioma.
A devastatingdiagnosis
At the beginning of lockdown, Shaunie was struggling with fatigue and constant vomiting. Thinking that his condition was perhaps brought on by school stress and adapting to online learning, his parents took him to a number of doctors to see what was wrong.
Matters soon got worse when the antibiotics he was given did little to remedy his condition. Shaunie began struggling with his eyesight, had difficulty moving around and battled to communicate.
Shaunie having a CT scan at Linmed Hospital
To determine the cause of Shaunie’s rapid decline, he was taken for CT scan at Linmed Hospital in Johannesburg. The heartbreaking results of the x-ray determined that Shaunie has a cancerous tumour in his brain stem, a fatal condition known as Brainstem Glioma, which has a median survivalrate of only 9 months.
With doctors unable to operate on Shaunie, he underwent 12 aggressive Radiation Therapy sessions to shrink his tumour and alleviate some of his pain.
To shelter Shaunie from the severity of his condition, his parents haven’t told him that his tumour is cancerous, but he understands why he has begun losing his hair and that he is unwell.
“Hearing that your child, who has always been perfectly healthy, is fighting a deadly disease and only has a few months left to live is devastating. We don’t know how to tell Shaunie that he is dying. We still have hope that God will hear our prayers and that he will make it through” – says Bianca
As there is no cure for Shaunie’s condition, he is currently being treated symptomatically with cannabis oil and steroids to help the swelling on his brain and increase his appetite.
Shaunie’s Birthday Wish
As only 1% of children diagnosed with Brainstem Glioma live up to 5 years, the Pretorius family are focused on keeping Shaunie as healthy, as pain free and as comfortable as possible so he can enjoy the time he has left with his parents and his little brother, Mattie (3).
Shaunie with his little brother, Mattie.
Focusing on all the things that spark joy for a young boy, Shaunie’s uncle Juandre Botha has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, to fulfil Shaunie’s ultimate dream of owning a Playstation 5, just in time for his 12th birthday on the 9th of March.
“Sadly we do not know exactly how much time we have left with our little man, so we really want to make every single day as special and as comfortable as possible for him. As I’m sure anyone can imagine this battle is really hard on him but he’s a very strong-willed little fighter and we are so proud of him.” – says Jaundre
With generous support, Shaunie’s campaign has already raised over R 9000 towards his fundraising target of R12 000, with contributions from 16 donors across the country.
Additional funds raised will be used to cover Shaunie’s additional medical expenses, specialized food and living expenses.
With over R200 000 million raised for charitable causes in South Africa, donations-based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy, celebrates the 250 000 donors who have uplifted those in need.
Re-launched in 2015, BackaBuddy has welcomed over 16 600 individual online fundraising campaigns for medical expenses, tuition fees, sporting tours, community projects and good deeds across the country.
Over 3 200 charities are also active users of the platform, raising funds for various needs within their organisation through their own projects, and have collectively invited over 21 400 individuals to pledge their birthdays or participate in events to raise funds on their behalf.
“As a platform, BackaBuddy allows us to come together as communities to support people and causes that we believe in, regardless of our differences. For every cause, accident or catastrophe that we face, we bear witness to the many who step up when asked to by their peers. This is the immense power that crowdfunding facilitates and which goes far beyond just the funds that are raised” says BackaBuddy, CEO, Patrick Schofield.
Take a look back at some of BackaBuddy’s memorable crowdfunding campaigns.
Inspiring individuals
The good samaritan
When Monet van Deventer stopped at the Shell Ultra City in Somerset West and realized she forgot her bank card at home, good samaritan, Nkosikho Mbele, who works as a petrol attendant, offered to fill her tank with R100 to ensure she got home safely.
To show her appreciation for Nkosi’s kind deed, Monet set up a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy with a fundraising target of R100 000. With tremendous support from the public, over R500 000 was raised in a few short days with contributions from over 2 500 donors from around the world.
Catching up with Nkosi, we are happy to report, he’s doing great and has begun working on extending his mother’s house with the funds he received. Nkosi says he is still recognized from time to time and is still enjoying his job as a petrol attendant!
First class ‘roosterbrood’
Eight years ago, ‘Tannie’ Poppie Van As (64), who runs a small roadside ‘roosterbrood’ stand on the N1 in Laingsburg in the Western Cape, met sports events organizer, Stan Engelbrecht (43).
Impressed with her talents and her infectious personality, Poppie was introduced to the Italian owners of Eroica and was invited to Gaiole, Italy to make her now famous ‘roosterbrood’ for their main cycling event in 2019.
Poppie moments before her flight to Italy. Image credit: 13TH MONTH FILMS
With the cost of her flight covered, Stan launched a campaign on BackaBuddy to cover Poppie’s accommodation and spending money for the once in a lifetime trip.
With donations from almost 200 donors, over R100 000 was raised and Poppie was ready to go! Spotted at the airport, Tannie Poppie was even upgraded to business class for her first-ever trip overseas and shared her experience on her Instagram page.Read more.
One of the highlights from Poppie’s trip, was braaiing at chef Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen’s restaurant, JAN in Nice, Italy.
“Here was this vivacious woman in her 60s, bursting with joie de vivre, who was making her living selling roosterkoek from a padstal along the N1 motorway outside Laingsburg. Then, after a whole life in the Great Karoo, she was suddenly on her way to Italy to make this essentially South African, fire-baked bread for a group of cyclists on tour. I was hooked. Her rural-small-town story reminded me more than a little bit of my own. And she was going to be just around the corner! I just couldn’t resist inviting her to JAN to give my team of fancy schmancy chefs an education in how to bake ‘real’ roosterkoek. This is her story, as told by the team who helped her to make this dream a reality…” – Jan Hendrik van der Westhuizen wrote on his blog.
At JAN restaurant in Nice: The young chefs, their uniforms white and starched, looked on, gaping as Poppie threw together her recipe without a measuring cup in sight. Image credit: 13TH MONTH FILMS
Saving Aaron
Aaron Lipschitz (5) from Sea Point, Cape Town, is the first child in South Africa to be diagnosed with Interleukin-12 Receptor Defect, a rare genetic condition that affects the immune system.
As there is currently no cure for Aaron’s condition, the only way for Aaron to overcome his recurrent infections and survive this condition, was to have a bone marrow transplant in August 2018. Read more.
Over the course of two years, the BackaBuddycampaign raised over R1 000 000 to support Aaron’s ongoing medical costs with contributions from almost 1000 donors both locally and abroad.
Checkmate
When star chess player, Amahle Zenzile (13) from Cape Town was unable to attend the SAJCC Closed in Johannesburg, due to lack of funds, her best friend and fellow competitor, Trinity Van Beeck (13), along with her mum Marisa Laas and coach Thando Hlakula stepped in and launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy.
Amahle Zenzile with campaign creators Marisa Laas and Trinity Van Beeck
With well-wishes and support from the public, Amahle went on to finish 5th in her age group and was awarded her South African colours.
Campaigning a second time, Amahle was able to represent South Africa in Namibia the African Youth Chess Tournament where she placed 4th in her division.
In total, almost R60 000 has been raised for Amahle’s tournaments as her star continues to rise in the chess community. Read more.
Cody the brave
10-year-old pony, Cody, made international news in June 2017 when he found his way home, against insurmountable odds, 16 days after the devastating Knysna fires that nearly claimed his life.
To cover the cost of his treatment, as he was badly burnt, emaciated and struggling to see, acampaign was launched on BackaBuddy that raised over R 130 000 from almost 300 animal lovers across the globe.
Courageous Cody has since become the animal ambassador for the The Eden Empathy Initiative, a non-profit organisation focused on skills training, clinical therapy and animal education where he continues to inspire everyone he meets.https://www.youtube.com/embed/eLIXR_uL_JQ?feature=oembed
From the Township to skies
Xolisa Shenxani (18) from Sir Lowry Pass Village in Cape Town, has had his heart set on becoming a commercial pilot from a young age despite coming from a disadvantaged background.
“I used to look up into the air and see helicopters fly over my house but I didn’t know what they were. I thought, ‘I would love to fly that thing!’, but I wasn’t sure if people could fly in it. I remember, in grade 1 or 2, a helicopter landed on the soccer field in Sir Lowry’s Pass and I got to see inside of it. That’s when I knew that I wanted to become a pilot!” – says Xolisa
Xolisa’s dreams were set in motion in 2019 after almost R200 000 was raised to fund his grade 11 and matric year at private school. Xolisa was taken by surprise when an anonymous donor contributed R 101 500.00 to his BackaBuddy campaign, leaving only a short message of support “Glo jy kan dit doen”
Xolisa’s mentor, Philip Bellstedt was happy to report that Xolisa passed matric with impressive results and achieved the minimum requirements to apply for the airforce in 2021!
Inspiring causes
Cause Climber
In 2018, Andrew Patterson, originally from Johannesburg, climbed Table mountain every day for a year, braving the winter cold, summer heat, the wind, and the rain with his 365 Ubuntuclimbs campaign to support 3 charities close to his heart.
Andrew Patterson
On New Year’s Eve, Andrew took his last step in a year-long journey that totaled 2429 km including 262 km of vertical climbing (equivalent to 71 Mt Everests).
A total of 738 climbers accompanied Andrew throughout his journey, which took over 964 hours to complete.
Having raised just over R910 000 on BackaBuddy, Andrew supported Habitat for Humanity’s OVC project in Khayelitsha, partnering with Baphumelele Children’s Home, to provide shelter to orphans and abandoned children.
Funds were also used to provide 7 primary schools with teaching materials to empower children through reading through NPO, One heart for kids, and 60 new donors were added to the Sunflower Fund bone marrow registry.
“With my BackaBuddy campaign I was treated to the spirit of Ubuntu and was surrounded year-round with amazing human beings who shared my focus and passion to help others” – says Andrew.
Beauty with purpose
In the wake of the Knysna Fires in June 2017, Former Miss South Africa, Demi Leigh Nel Peters, with the backing and support of Sun International and Cell C, launched a campaign on BackaBuddy to help rebuild her hometown after fires raged through the Garden Route.
Demi Leigh Nel Peters. Image credit: IMDB
Urging South Africans to support her cause for the Sedgefield Lions Club, over R625 000 was raised, exceeding the initial target of R500 000 to provide supplies for the families that lost their homes and livelihoods in the blaze.
A walk to remember
In September 2019, rape survivor and activist, Leilani Kuter (46) from Roodepoort, Gauteng, began a 27-day journey, covering a distance of 729km, to take a stand against sexual assault and gender-based violence in South Africa.
Wearing yellow, the colour her attacker wore, Leilani broke her silence, and raised over R260 000 on BackaBuddy to support rape crisis centers across South Africa. Read more.
Leilani Kuter: Image SPAR
With overwhelming support, Leilani has since launched a non-profit company, #YellowForSurvivorsand once again tightened her laces in September 2020 to begin a 448km nostalgic walk to fundraise in honor of survivors.
“Every step of my journey thus far is in defiance of systemic violence against women, men and children and a celebration of our collective survival spirit. Walking has become a big part of my healing process and I’ve learned, as I get older, that you can’t run away from your past. You need to confront it head-on in order to move on.” – says Leilani
In 2018, lead singer of Freshlyground, Zolani Mahola, who became a bone marrow donor 3 years ago, lent her support to The South African Bone Marrow Registry’s ‘Give a little, Save A Life’ campaign on BackaBuddy.
Funds raised by the campaign were used to assist four local children in need of a life-saving Stem Cell Transplant. With support from the public, almost R500 000 was raised to support the non-profit.
Zolani Mahola. Image: Zolani’s Facebook page
As there is a shortage of donors of African descent, Zolani encouraged South Africans of all ethnic backgrounds to register with the SABMR to help those in need of life-saving treatment.
“As a nation, we have a rich history of Ubuntu and we must continually find new ways of expressing it. With many of our donors coming from overseas, we need more donors of African descent. With the procedure itself not being the onerous and painful task it used to be, we have so much potential to make a difference at home” – says Zolani
Birthday for the birds
Upon learning that the Umgeni River Bird Park, was under strain due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Romario Valentine (9), an environmental activist, from Umhlanga, Durban, launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise funds for the sanctuary’s Inspire to Conserve program in lieu of birthday gifts.
Romario with his parents, Delsha Moodley and Clive Valentine.
With support from the public, Romario superseded his fundraising target of R15 000, raising over R30 000 to support his feathery friends on BackaBuddy with contributions from almost 100 donors. Read more.
For his hard work in supporting the Umgeni River Bird Park, Romario was allowed to celebrate his birthday at the sanctuary and was awarded a certificate of excellence!
Romario has also become an Ocean Sole ambassador, highlighting the damage caused by pollutants and their effect on marine and sea bird life.
He’s also since appeared on 50/50, and has been featured in National Geographic, SA Art Magazine and appeared in an article on Global Citizen.
Rising above her pain
In 2018, founder of Rise18, Zanele Hlatshwayo from Soweto, participated in 18 marathons, totaling over 648km to support The South African Depression and Anxiety Group.
Funds raised by Zanele’s campaign were used to fund SADAG‘s national suicide toll-free hotline in honor of her late father who took his own life due to depression.
With over R 200 000 raised on BackaBuddy, Zanele’s initiative funded over 10 000 phone calls to the crisis hotline. Read more.
“I found strength in my vulnerability and found a way to deal with my father’s tragedy through those who have shared their pain with me. I believe with Rise18, we have just scratched the surface, there is still so much that needs to be done” – Zanele
A climb to Everest Base Camp
In 2018, fifteen individuals, led by the founder of the Avela Foundation, Cami Palomo, began a 9-day trekking route, ending in triumph at 5,364 meters, at the base of Mount Everest in Lukla, Nepal.
Committed to the climb, over R 2.1 million was raised on BackaBuddy to kick-start Avela’s U-Matter program, an initiative to provide a psychological support network for burn survivors and their families.
Funds were also used to help refurbish Kimberley Hospital’s burn unit. In total, The Avela Foundationhas raised over R 3.7 million on BackaBuddy for various projects.
Among the hikers was William Baartman, who at age of three years old, was a victim of gross Human Rights violation when his home was petrol bombed by local students. He sustained 75% burn wounds and lost his younger sister, Grace in the fire.
William Baartman
“I was too afraid to leave the house because I was scared of what others might think and now I have climbed to Mount Everest base camp! I hope to send a message to those hiding from the world, that there’s hope for them, hope they think doesn’t exist.”- says William
Rainbows and Smiles
Rainbows and Smiles, an organisation that provides emotional, social, and financial support to families and caregivers affected by cancer have raised over R1.9 millionBackaBuddy through participating in various sporting events such as the Midmar Mile, the Comrades, and Two Oceans to name a few.
Founder of Rainbows and Smiles Bonita Suckling and Nadia Lewis at the Edenvale Marathon
The Smile Foundation
The Smile Foundation, a South African NGO that assists children with any type of facial abnormality, to receive free corrective plastic and reconstructive surgery, has raised over R1.7 million on BackaBuddy through a variety of projects.
The Smile Foundation, a South African NGO that assists children with any type of facial abnormality, to receive free corrective plastic and reconstructive surgery, has raised over R1.7 million on BackaBuddy through a variety of projects.
Support during the COVID-19 pandemic
#ImStaying feeds the vulnerable
The implementation of the national lockdown left many families in South Africa destitute without the means to earn an income and provide for their families.
To assist with food vouchers during this time, vital Facebook sensation and registered non-profit organisation, #ImStaying, raised over R1 million on BackaBuddy with contributions from almost 1800donors to feed over 24 000 vulnerable South Africans. Read more.
In total #ImStaying has raised over R 1.4 million on BackaBuddy for various projects.
Gift of the Givers Give Back
To raise funds to empower doctors, nurses, and medical staff across South Africa with the supplies and equipment needed for them to carry out the vital work they do, The Gift of the Givers, launched a campaign on BackaBuddy.
The campaign has thus far raised over R 1.4 million with support from almost 250 donors to purchase Manual and automated Ventilation equipment, Intubation equipment, Safety equipment for medical staff as well as medical supplies. Read more.
In total, The Gift of the Givers has raised over R 2.8 million on BackaBuddy for various projects.
With the University of Cambridge estimating the total crowdfunding activity in Africa to reach over R30 billion by 2025, we look forward to watching the crowdfunding industry grow from strength to strength.
“To build South Africa as a nation, we need ties that bind us in positive ways. We need to invest in each other and support each other in ways that cross over traditional boundaries. Crowdfunding brings people together in positive ways, around things that we are passionate about, giving us the opportunity to be part of something greater than ourselves” – says Schofield
Create your own 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 raised over R200 Million.
As the class of 2020 looks to the future and many prepare for their tertiary studies, individuals across South Africa are faced with the challenge of securing funds for the year ahead to cover registration fees, text books, accommodation and the unexpected costs they’ll face on their new academic journey.
Click here to Raise Funds for your educational needs on BackaBuddy
For this reason, many students reach out to their family, friends and their wider community to avoid student debt by opting to raise funds for their education through crowdfunding.
Empowered to take responsibility for their studies, students pen their stories, film a short video appeal, set their fundraising target and take to social media with their unique campaign link to encourage donors to support their cause.
Take a look at these students and how they secured their university fees with a little help from their friends.
Xolisa
Xolisa Shenxani (18) from Sir Lowry Pass Village in Cape Town, has had his heart set on becoming a commercial pilot from a young age despite coming from a disadvantaged background.
Xolisa Shenxani
“I used to look up into the air and see helicopters fly over my house but I didn’t know what they were. I thought, ‘I would love to fly that thing!’, but I wasn’t sure if people could fly in it. I remember, in grade 1 or 2, a helicopter landed on the soccer field in Sir Lowry’s Pass and I got to see inside of it. That’s when I knew that I wanted to become a pilot!” – says Xolisa
Xolisa’s dreams were set in motion in 2019 after almost R200 000 was raised to fund his grade 11 and matric year at private school. Xolisa was taken by surprise when an anonymous donor contributed R 101 500.00 to his BackaBuddy campaign, leaving only a short message of support “Glo jy kan dit doen”
Xolisa’s mentor, Philip Bellstedt was happy to report that Xolisa passed matric with impressive results and achieved the minimum requirements to apply for the airforce this year!
Forgiveness
Over the last 2 years, Mulanga Forgiveness Kolela, a dedicated, hard working Congolese asylum seeker that has been residing in South Africa for the last 9 years has raised over R115 000 on BackaBuddy towards her Engineering studies at Stellenbosch University for BEng Mechatronics.
“I have set three long term goals for myself. My first goal is to get my Honours in Mechatronics. The second is to get my Master’s in Biomedical Engineering. My final goal is to eventually run a company dedicated to creating and making cost-effective medical devices for financially disadvantaged children with physical disabilities.” – says Forgiveness
Mulanga Forgiveness Kolela
Francis
After completing 2 years of study at the University of Cape Town, Frances Whitehead was awarded Golden Key Honours Society membership and placed on the Dean’s Merit list.
When her family faced financial struggles in her final year, Frances turned to crowdfunding to cover the cost of her tuition. With the support of donors both locally and internationally, over R130 000 was raised and Frances was able to access her second year results and register for her studies in n February 2019.
Randy
Randy Seda (21) always had dreams of becoming a chartered accountant. Showing that hard work pays off, Randy was decorated with the Golden Key Honours Society membership which is awarded to the top 15% of students at the University of Pretoria.
With his loving family unable to support his education, Randy set up a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, that raised over R350 904.98 which was payed directly to the University.
Randy Seda
Nissi
During the lockdown, Nissi Maguwa, a 23 year old fashion student at Fedisa Fashion School set up her crowdfunding campaign to cover her fees as both her parents were unemployed and unable to afford the cost of her education.
Illustrating her passion for fashion, Nissi put together a short video to introduce her campaign to potential donors. Her campaign has thus far raised almost R15 000 from kind donations.
As a student on BackaBuddy, you can raise funds if:
You are a public/private student
You are a foreigner living in South Africa
You are experiencing Financial exclusion
You can provide valid documents to support your fundraising needs.
What you can raise funds for?
Laptops
Registration
Accommodation
Transport
Tuition fees
Graduation ceremony
Sign-up on BackaBuddy to raise funds for your studies
Tell us your story by submitting this form and begin raising funds within 24 hours. If you have any questions, feel free to reach our to our team: [email protected]
Kamiel Singh
Sean Williams
Solomon Majwe.
Sean Williams with Edharage Mukaro.
