December is the noisiest month of the year. It’s also the month when trust matters most.
Looking back at December 2025, one thing became clear very quickly: when urgency rises, scepticism rises with it. Fundraising, marketing, and media all compete for attention, and audiences don’t automatically become more generous — they become more discerning.
The Good News Drop was never designed to cut through that noise with pressure or short-term tactics. It was designed to do something far more intentional: create the conditions where generosity feels safe, credible, and sustainable.
As a campaign, it offered valuable insight into how trust is built, how it behaves, and how it ultimately supports meaningful participation — especially in high-noise seasons.
From the outset, the Good News Drop was positioned as a brand, trust, and behaviour-shaping initiative, not a transactional fundraising campaign.
Rather than leading with urgency, the campaign focused on:
Daily positive stories
Visible, real-world presence
Recognition of generosity
Small, repeatable moments of hope
The intent was simple: help people feel hopeful, not hurried.
That intent guided every decision — from creative direction to channel roles to how success was measured. The emphasis wasn’t on instant conversion, but on emotional safety, familiarity, and credibility during a time when people are often overwhelmed.
Browse the Good News Drop
South Africa just got crowned the world’s most generous nation. 🇿🇦💜
Not because we give the most money… but because we show up with time, energy, and thoughtfulness.
Top 3 from the study: 🇿🇦South Africa (51.57/60) 🇵🇭Philippines 🇺🇸USA
Tag an everyday hero who carried you this year.
The check-in call. The lift club. The “I’ve got you” person.
And from our team to yours: Merry Christmas. May joy, peace, and generosity fill your home today and always.🎄
This season, we’re reminded that the little heroes often go unseen - the drivers who keep our cities moving, rain or shine, day in and day out. 🛵
Through the BackaBuddy Heroes Fund, you can help support the 80 drivers behind our seasonal campaigns: those who often get forgotten when the festive season rolls in. Every donation makes a difference and helps them keep going, supporting their families and communities. ❤️
Delayed post, divine timing! #JuneExitwithGrace 🙌🏽✨ ✨🥰 June said ‘plot twist’ and July said ‘hold my halo.’ 😇🎉 #GoodNewsDrop 🙌🏽✨ marcela_dungca tonvalles
🌸 GOOD NEWS DROP 🌸 After a long 341 days staying at Leukaemia Foundation accommodation close to life-saving treatment, 3-year-old Jamie is well enough to leave the city and go home...
“Jamie is finally back at the farm! Seeing his little face light up as he was reunited with our lamb Coco after such a long time was a wonderful, joyus moment for us. We still have two years of this journey, but are so grateful that we can finally come home.” - Nicky, Jamie’s mum.
We 💙 hearing and sharing good news! Be sure to tag us in your milestone moments! - - - - #leukaemiafoundation #leukaemiafoundationaustralia #goodnewsdrop #goodnews #goodnewsfeed #bloodcancer #bloodcancersurvivor #bloodcancerawareness #childhoodcancer #childhoodcancerawareness #childhoodcancersurvivor #feelgoodmoments #farmlife #heartsarefull❤️
The partnership with MotionAds was never about direct donation attribution. Its role was more strategic — and ultimately foundational.
MotionAds brought:
Physical visibility
Legitimacy
Real-world proof of presence
Execution highlights included:
80 riders activated
Approximately 20,000 flyers distributed via Uber Eats deliveries
QR codes linking to the Good News Drop hub
Full geo- and time-stamped photo assurance
This physical layer functioned as a trust transfer mechanism. In a season of heightened scepticism, seeing the campaign in the real world reinforced authenticity in a way digital-only exposure often cannot.
Offline Doesn’t Convert — It Prepares
QR performance is often misunderstood, so it’s worth addressing clearly.
Total QR scans: 159
This is not a failure metric
It is a signal of brand recall and confidence
What the data showed:
Social media drove the majority of traffic and engagement
QR codes acted as an assist channel
Physical presence increased confidence and memory, not impulse behaviour
This aligns with well-documented behaviour patterns: trust is often built offline, while conversion happens later — digitally and asynchronously.
Why Platform Context Matters
During the Good News Drop period, December 2025 became one of BackaBuddy’s strongest months on record:
R17.02 million donated
Average of R549,164 per day
9 days exceeding R700,000
17,480 donors
39% year-on-year growth
What’s important here is not just the growth — but how it happened.
The increase came from more people giving, not larger individual donations. This points to inclusion, emotional safety, and trust — not extraction.
Tipping Revealed the Trust Layer
One of the most reliable indicators of platform trust is tipping behaviour.
December showed:
73% of donors chose to tip
15,778 tips received
Average tip of R61
Tip margin of 5.4%
Optional tipping only works when people trust the system they’re participating in. These numbers reinforced what the campaign was designed to do: strengthen confidence, not apply pressure.
How the Ecosystem Worked
The Good News Drop worked because each channel played a distinct role:
MotionAds reinforced legitimacy and real-world presence
Social media delivered reach, engagement, and repeat exposure
PR ensured narrative consistency and partner credibility
Social performance highlights included:
Facebook: 180,000 views
Instagram: strong month-on-month uplift
LinkedIn: high credibility and partner engagement
TikTok: 79,000 views and over 2,400 new followers
Short-form, emotionally resonant content performed best — amplified by the credibility halo created through physical presence.
What This Means Going Forward
The Good News Drop validated a core insight that will continue to shape how we think about partnerships:
Trust precedes conversion — every time.
What worked:
Emotion before urgency
Recognition over pressure
Physical presence as a trust signal
Social as the primary conversion engin
What this opens up:
Clearer offline success metrics from the outset
Stronger post-exposure retargeting strategies
Deeper storytelling integration across physical channels
Lifecycle systems that convert trust into long-term participation
A Final Reflection
The Good News Drop wasn’t about raising money. It was about strengthening the conditions under which generosity happens.
For corporates and partners exploring purpose-led visibility, ESG-aligned storytelling, and brand-safe impact, this campaign offered a practical, real-world example of what becomes possible when trust is intentionally designed — not assumed.
As we move into a new year, that lesson feels more relevant than ever.
South Africans are giving more — and making an even bigger impact — thanks to a major change on Africa’s most trusted crowdfunding platform. As of June 2025, BackaBuddy now charges 0% platform fees on all campaigns, meaning every rand raised goes directly to the cause.
For individuals, schools, charities, and community groups, this shift is already helping more people raise funds, reach more donors, and uplift more lives.
Raising More. Giving More.
Already this year, the move to 0% platform fees has helped channel over R12 million extra directly into the hands of campaigners and charities.
In the past 12 months, more than 54,000 donations through BackaBuddy have raised over R157 million — supporting medical care, education, disaster relief, disability access, housing, and many personal needs across South Africa.
People Funding Purpose
Every day, individuals use BackaBuddy to raise funds for life-changing needs — from surgeries and school fees to funeral costs, disaster recovery, and community projects.
Whether it’s a mother crowdfunding for her child’s hearing aids, a teacher helping a student get to university, or a neighbourhood rallying to rebuild after a fire — every campaign brings hope and opportunity.
“When people feel empowered, they give more,” says Patrick Schofield, Founder and CEO of BackaBuddy. “Compulsory. Mandatory. Exclusionary. These are words I don’t like. But choice, agency, and accessibility? These are words I do. It’s what informed my thinking in developing the 0% platform fee model at BackaBuddy. Firstly to maximise funds going directly to those who need them. But also, by giving you the option to add a voluntary tip when you donate, you’re given the choice — and the agency — to support the work we do in enabling crowdfunding for others. If you feel our service is excellent and our platform delivers real value, you’ll choose to support us. And if not, you won’t. What better way to ensure everyone at BackaBuddy is super focused on excellence in service and being the best possible platform out there for you.”
Since launching in 2015, BackaBuddy has helped raise more than R630 million for over 44,000 campaigns — powered by a caring community of over 650,000 donors in South Africa and around the world.
How It Works
BackaBuddy’s 0% platform fee officially launched in June 2025. Donors now have the option to leave a small voluntary tip to help support the platform — while every rand raised (minus only third-party payment processing fees) goes directly to the campaign.
Charities Already Seeing the Difference
Both large and small charities are benefiting from the change.
Gift of the Givers shares: “We pride ourselves on ensuring that every cent possible goes to the people we help. With BackaBuddy’s 0% platform fee and transparent cost structure, our fundraisers know that their supporters’ donations go where they’re needed most — inspiring trust and generosity.”
Charities, like Rainbows and Smiles — supporting families of children with cancer — agree: “The 0% platform fee has been a real gift,” the team says. “It reassures donors that their contributions go directly where they’re needed — and for smaller charities like ours, it removes so much of the stress of fundraising. Every rand now makes an even bigger difference.”
Why More Are Choosing BackaBuddy
More South Africans are choosing BackaBuddy because it helps them raise more — with 0% platform fees ensuring every campaign keeps more of what it raises. The platform offers trusted, easy-to-use technology and practical tools to help campaigners tell their stories and inspire giving.
To support a fundraiser or launch your own campaign, visit:
In the quiet corridors of generosity, some stories shine not only because of their emotional weight, but because of the extraordinary people who choose to act with compassion. One such person is Catherine du Plooy, Chief Growth Officer at BackaBuddy, and one of our generous staff donors.
Catherine recently chose to support the Stand by Theo & Geraldine campaign, a heartfelt initiative launched to support a beloved couple in her community after Theo’s sudden cancer diagnosis. But for Catherine, this wasn’t just another campaign, it was deeply personal.
“They’re dear friends of our family and have been for many years,” she shares. “Theo has always had such a generous heart, always looking to help others. His dad was friends with my grandfather, and their farm is right next to ours. They’re just genuinely kind, salt-of-the-earth people.”
Theo’s diagnosis came as a shock, a reminder of how life can change in an instant. “It hit close to home,” Catherine says. “My brother is also living with cancer, so I deeply understand the shock and the weight that a diagnosis like this brings. One day Theo was healthy, and the next, everything changed. It really reminds you how fragile and precious life is.”
As BackaBuddy’s CGO, Catherine spends her days empowering others to fundraise and find hope through the power of community. But this time, it was her own community that needed support, and she didn’t hesitate to lead by example.
“It feels good to be able to support them, but I also wish we could all do more,” she says. “People like Theo and Geraldine have poured so much into their community, it’s only right that we rally around them now.”
Catherine’s act of giving is more than a donation, it’s a reflection of her values, both as a leader and as a friend. “There’s something incredibly powerful about people coming together,” she reflects. “Especially when it’s for someone who has been a blessing to others, it’s like the kindness gets multiplied.”
At BackaBuddy, we are proud to have leaders who lead with heart. Catherine, thank you for showing us what it means to live out the mission, not only in the work you do but in the way you give.
South Africa – December 2024: BackaBuddy, South Africa’s leading donations-based crowdfunding platform, is spreading joy this festive season with an exciting announcement: 0% platform fees on all crowdfunding campaigns launched between 1–31 December 2024.
Pictured above: Patrick Schofield (BackaBuddy CEO), and Catherine Du Plooy (BackaBuddy CGO)
A Gift to the Community: 0% Platform Fees for December
As part of its ongoing commitment to helping people make a meaningful impact, BackaBuddy is excited to extend this offer to all campaign creators for December—giving them the opportunity to raise more funds for the causes they care about, with only third-party payment gateway fees applying.
“At BackaBuddy, we are constantly inspired by the generosity, kindness, and compassion we see across our platform, especially in the lead-up to the festive season,” says Catherine Du Plooy, Director and Chief Growth Officer at BackaBuddy. “This 0% platform fee initiative is our gift to our community—an opportunity for campaign creators to raise vital funds with fewer fees and for donors to make an even greater impact. We want to make it as easy as possible for people to come together and give back this December.”
The Impact of Giving: #GivingTuesday and Over R550 Million Raised
The announcement comes just after #GivingTuesday on 3 December, marking the official start of the giving season. Whether you’re supporting a local charity, helping a loved one in need, or funding a personal cause, there’s no better time to launch a campaign and make a difference.
“We’ve been inspired by the overwhelming acts of kindness and generosity throughout 2024. Thanks to the compassion of South Africans and our dedicated donors from around the globe, R106,930,000 was raised on BackaBuddy this year alone, with 118,000 donors supporting more than 24,500 campaigns. Since our launch in 2015, and with the incredible support of our community, over R550 million has been raised on BackaBuddy in total—a true testament to the power of community-driven giving.”
“At BackaBuddy, our mission goes beyond simply raising funds; we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to unite for causes that matter. This December, we aim to amplify this spirit of giving, inspiring even more people to join us in making a meaningful impact.”
Innovation and Integrity: What’s Next for BackaBuddy in 2025
In September 2023, BackaBuddy launched a 0% platform fee for charities year-round, with only third-party payment gateway fees applying. This initiative has been a crucial part of BackaBuddy’s ongoing support for charitable organisations, ensuring more funds go directly to the causes that need them.
In 2024, BackaBuddy also relaunched its website, unveiling new features that further enhance the user experience and ensure that campaign creators and donors alike can navigate the platform with ease.
“Our website revamp in March marked an exciting milestone for us as a team and as an organisation, and we are excited to continue improving and innovating, providing a seamless platform for fundraising and community connection,” says Zane Groenewald, Marketing & PR Manager at BackaBuddy. “But this is just the beginning. There is so much more to come in 2025—exciting new features that will further elevate the experience for both campaign creators and donors.”
A Season of Giving
This December, BackaBuddy invites everyone—whether you are a campaign creator or a donor—to join in unwrapping kindness, creating lasting change, and making the season of giving even more meaningful.
This International Day of Charity, we at BackaBuddy are happy to announce a transformative opportunity that will significantly boost your fundraising efforts. Previously, charity crowdfunding campaigns on our platform incurred a 5.75% fee, but in our commitment to better supporting your charitable missions and maximising the impact of every donation, we’ve now implemented a 0% platform fee for all charities raising funds with us.
A New Era for Fundraising
With the elimination of our platform fee, more of each donation will go directly to the causes that matter most to you. The only fees that remain are those associated with payment gateways, such as PayPal, Instant EFT, and credit cards. This change is designed to help you increase your impact and reach even more supporters.
Transitioning to the New Platform
To make the most of this exciting new benefit, here’s what you need to do:
Start a New Campaign: Launch your campaign on our platform.
Share the New Campaign: Once live, spread the word by sharing your campaign link with supporters to start generating donations.
Our new platform offers an enhanced user experience, improved campaign management tools, and better support to assist you in your fundraising journey.
Partnerships for Change
We proudly partner with nearly 9,000 charities, including The Gift of the Givers, Kolisi Foundation, and Rainbows, all dedicated to making a difference in their communities. Whether you’re supporting individuals facing severe medical conditions or aiding those affected by gender-based violence, BackaBuddy is home to countless campaigns fueled by compassion and commitment.
Join BackaBuddy’s Fee-Free Fundraising
As we celebrate International Day of Charity, we encourage you to leverage this new opportunity to enhance your fundraising efforts. Our team is here to assist with any questions to help you start your crowdfunding journey.
Together, let’s use this new initiative to further our mission of creating a better world for those in need.
In the midst of global challenges, from climate change to social inequality, there arises a need for collective action. It’s about individuals and organizations uniting their efforts to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. One such movement making waves in this realm is Catalyst 2030.
Catalyst 2030 is not just a movement; it’s a commitment, a call to action for people and the planet. Launched at the World Economic Forum in Davos in January 2020, this global initiative brings together a diverse array of actors—social entrepreneurs, innovators, communities, governments, businesses, funders, and more—united by a common goal: achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Founded in 2019 by a group of social entrepreneurs, Catalyst 2030 counts among its ecosystem partners prominent organizations such as Ashoka, Echoing Green, the Schwab Foundation of the World Economic Forum, and the Skoll Foundation. This diverse coalition is backed by the One Family Foundation, which continues to support the movement as its fiscal sponsor. Panorama Global facilitated and managed funding from 2021 to 2023.
At the heart of Catalyst 2030 is the belief in inclusive, locally-led collaborations. This movement transcends borders and cultures, forging connections and partnerships worldwide. By harnessing the collective power of individuals and organizations, Catalyst 2030 seeks to implement bold new strategies and sustainable solutions for a brighter future.
As part of its ongoing efforts, Catalyst 2030 is hosting an interactive workshop titled “Is Crowdfunding a Funding Solution for You?” This session aims to explore crowdfunding as a viable funding mechanism for sustainable development initiatives. Featuring insights from the founders of two leading funding platforms in Africa—BackaBuddy NPC and MChanga—along with a champion who successfully crowdfunded a cause in Malawi, this workshop promises to offer real-world shared learnings.
The workshop will be facilitated by Patrick Schofield, Co-Founder of BackaBuddy NPC, Kyai Mullei, Co-Founder of MChanga, Henly Kuwenda, Founder of the KingfisherSekanawo Initiative, and Sardiqah Bowers, Charities Campaign Manager at BackaBuddy NPC.
If you’re passionate about driving positive change and interested in exploring crowdfunding as a funding solution, don’t miss this opportunity to engage with Catalyst 2030. Register for the workshop here and be part of a global movement committed to building a better world.
To learn more about Catalyst 2030 and stay updated on future events and initiatives, visit the Catalyst 2030 website and follow them on Facebook.
Join us in shaping the future we want to see—one where collaboration and innovation drive sustainable development and create lasting impact for generations to come. Together, we can be the catalysts for change.
