Mammetja Mogotlane (27), works towards building a sustainable eco-community, playing chess with capitalism.
Born in Johannesburg, Gauteng, they have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pursue their master’s degree at The School of Oriental and African Studies University of London (SOAS) and urgently need help to fund their studies.
Mammetja has already graduated with a Masters of Sciences (MSc) in Politics of Conflict Rights and Justice. Earning an advantage through SOAS university is a teachable opportunity. They are empowered and motivated to work towards life-enabling systems fostering room for African queer people to be change-makers in their communities.
By attending the prestigious SOAS campus, Mammetja hopes to build on their understanding of transformative justice whilst centring their experiences with African women, queer people, and neuro-divergent people. They are honouring their love-informed, childhood dreams.
“Growing in communication means, learning to speak the many languages of your loves. The fluidity of Indigenous practices reminds us to engage the senses available to us, to listen. The Earth is crying, and climatic shocks devastate people in their indigenous homes, especially those un-housed.” – says Mammetja.
“Purposefully ignored communities need systems rooted in radical love, promoting indigenous knowledge production and a reality where African queer kinfolk can be fully self-determining and uninhibited by systemic violence. Community-informed lenses frame sustainable accessibility to health care.
This yearning is a future I espouse and have committed myself to strive towards Encouraged by my love partners, I quit my survival-required job, and leaned into community care, did the background work, had several (re)drafts, and radically sent in my application – to thrive” – says Mammetja.
To cover their tuition fees estimated to cost R465 000, Mammetja has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy that has raised R17 000 through 12 kind contributions.
“Being a historian creates space for intersectional forms of healing, and communally centered holistic health care. Love offers the capacity to pursue my goals” – says Mammetja.
Let’s help support Mammetja Mogotlane in pursuing this well-deserved opportunity.
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 R330 Million.
The Sakhe Family Care Development Centre is a non-profit organisation based in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape, that aims to uplift families in the Kouga area through training courses for wives, husbands and children alike.
Their goal is to prevent gender-based violence by educating husbands, providing driving lessons and computer courses for youths, and teaching sewing to women.
‘We are training women! Please help us train more’
As part of their first mandate, Sakhe Family Care Development Centre is looking to equip more women through sewing classes.
By providing advanced classes and training on industrial sewing machines, the organisation hopes to empower women to create school uniforms, overalls and other products for local businesses.
“So many women in South Africa never had, and even now don’t have, the opportunity to study, but they have a passionate desire to be trained.
In the Kouga Area of the Eastern Cape, where the Sakhe Family Care Development Centre NPO is active, we have encountered many women who yearn to receive training in some direction to make them economically active and independent.
Consequently, we have identified a specific area of need: we aim to train as many women as possible in sewing and related skills, enabling them to produce a sellable product that can be marketed.” – says Antoinette Ferreira
Picture above: Everyone working hard during class
The reaction when we started advertising was overwhelming. We have trained 25 women so far, yet the need is tremendous, and we need extra funds to continue training even more.
After first making the training available, our waiting list has grown and grown. As more women see the success of those who have done the course, they also want to do the training. We have many women on our waiting list” – says Antoinette Ferreira from Sakhe Family Care Development Centre.
Picture above: Some small items made by the ladies in the sewing class.
To secure funding for the project, Sakhe Singamadoda Youth Programs has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, with a fundraising target of over R18 000 that will allow the organization to train five women over the next three months. This amount includes training costs and buying of necessities for the sewing process.
“By helping a woman acquire a new skill, she can have a means of income. This gives her a stepping stone through which she can achieve even more. We have seen that this training gives her a marketable skill that leads to independence.”
Pitcure above: Lena, Caroline, Nosipho and Siphosethu showing off their designed skirts and smaller aprons.
Since the launch of the campaign, over R2500 has been raised with kind contributions from 10 donors.
The funds we raise will tremendously impact the lives of the women trained.
“The opportunities are there, but the women need the skills. You can make a difference, and therefore we ask that you please help!” – says Antoinette Ferreira from Sakhe Family Care Development Centre.
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 R330 Million.
Maluuk Explores Foundation, a non-profit organization founded by Adrienne Short from South Africa,hopes to visit 20 secondary schools in the Hwange province, Zimbabwe, to provide 788 girls with a long-term sustainable solution to sanitaryware.
It is estimated that over 2.3 billion people do not have access to essential sanitation services, and only 27% of the population have access to a home-based handwashing facility with soap and water. The lack of these basic facilities at home makes managing periods at home a major challenge for women and adolescent girls.
Based on research, Maluuk Explores Foundation has found that 45% of girls end up making use of old cloth and rags, 29% use cotton wool, 18% use pads and 3% reported even using newspapers and leaves.
There are currently very few or no sanitary products available to schoolgirls in disadvantaged countries, be it disposables or reusables because the materials are too expensive or difficult to acquire.
Girls shouldn’t miss school. Period.
Becoming a woman should be a celebration. Instead, in many parts of Africa, menstruation remains shrouded in shame and ignorance, impacting the health, education and dignity of women and girls.
Without a sustainable sanitary solution, girls potentially miss 528 days of education throughout their schooling career due to the lack of facilities at school, lack of awareness around menstruation, embarrassment, menstrual pain, and the inability to afford hygienic sanitary materials.
If girls are missing their education because of menstruation, this reduces their future career prospects. These factors have a negative bearing on their educational performance.
“I am hoping that you will see my vision and join forces with Maluuk Explores Foundation to implement our project objectives of closing the gender inequalities, assisting to end period poverty, empowering the women and youth in these areas and investing in the future female leaders”, says founder, Adrienne Short.
The goal is to provide a sustainable eco-friendly solution that would see the girls through their secondary school career by offering them a re-usable product that requires only hand washing, and should with proper care and maintenance last 3-5years.
To secure funding for Project Phumelela, Maluuk Explores Foundation has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, with a fundraising target of over R200 000 to help provide long-term, sustainable solutions to a critical problem that affects the health and livelihood of many young girls.
“We Believe Lack of education about menstruation is one of the many barriers to achieving adequate menstrual hygiene worldwide. Creating awareness and openness is one of the most effective ways to help teach girls how to properly manage their menstrual hygiene.”
Since the launch of the campaign, over R9000 has been raised with kind contributions from 14 donors.
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 R330 Million.
Shireen Hermans, a 29-year-old mother from Mitchells Plain, Cape Town, has an eye disease called keratoconus, a condition which causes extremely blurred vision and light sensitivity.
Life is exceptionally challenging for Shireen, who has less than 8% sight in only one eye and is considered legally blind.
Behind her beautiful smile, gentle nature, courageous and resilient spirit, Shireen feels isolated and depressed due to her condition, which has interrupted her life and made simple tasks very difficult.
Shireen yearns for the simple pleasures in life – like seeing her daughters’ faces and helping them with their homework.
“For Shireen, sight loss means she can’t walk her young daughters to school or safely catch a bus with them. She simply can’t see the pavement or read the signs at the bus stop. It’s not safe for her to venture out alone. Living with keratoconus is like life in permanent lockdown.” – says Amanda Seccombe, Founder of The Eyes2Eyes Foundation.
Giving Shireen her sight back
At this stage, Shireen’s corneas (her eye’s outermost lens) are irregular, with steep troughs and cones.
As glasses and ordinary contact lenses will not restore Shireen’s sight, the only way for her to achieve functional vision and avoid total blindness is to receive costly custom-fit scleral lenses.
In November 2021, Shireen was referred to The Eyes2Eyes Foundation, an organisation dedicated to providing individuals the gift of sight, as corneal disease is vastly underfunded and under-resourced in public hospitals in South Africa.
Hoping to receive support from the public, the Eyes2Eyes Foundation, has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, with a fundraising goal of R25 000, which will allow Shireen to receive specialised lenses that will be designed and manufactured for her in New Zealand.
Funds raised will also cover the cost of Shireen’s fitting process which will be done in Cape Town, her monthly optometrists appointments and training on how to use the life-saving lenses.
“Restoring my vision will mean I can recognize the faces of my family and friends – not just their voices. I will be able to read to my girls. I wouldn’t have to rely on my daughter to read me prices at the stores and guide me with things all the time. Having my sight restored means I can get back to work and help with our financial problems at home. I will get my confidence and independence back and stop living a blurred depressed life, where I have to pretend everything is good” – says Shireen
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 R330 Million.
Bill Wedderburn (90), a philanthropist and COVID-19 survivor from South Coast, Durban, completed his 900km by 90 years charity drive on 29 April 2022 in support of families of healthcare workers affected by the pandemic.
Completing his final kilometre to the rousing sounds of Chariots of Fire, Bill was cheered on by fellow Renishaw Hills residents.
“We are so proud of Bill’s incredible achievement that has touched the lives of so many people, far and wide, since he started in June last year,” said Phil Barker of Renishaw Property Developments.
“He is the true embodiment of the community spirit and nature of giving that is found within Renishaw Hills. We are so proud. He is a real inspiration, not only to Renshaw Hills residents, but people of all ages regarding purpose, goals, dedication and compassion for those in need. I hope Bill becomes a shining example of the good that can be achieved by each and every one of us. We all have our part to play.”
Bill got the idea for this charity initiative during his time at Netcare Kingsway Private Hospital in January 2021 while recovering from a Covid-19 infection. Living with chronic kidney disease and being a prostate cancer survivor, Bill was considered high risk. However, the dedicated medical fraternity did everything they could to ensure his recovery during his two-week hospitalisation.
In fact, it was during his stay that Bill learned of the death of 36-year-old nurse, Hlengiwe Mbeje, an employee of Netcare Kingsway Hospital who’d died of Covid-19 shortly before he was admitted. Mbeje is one of many healthcare workers who have died as a result of contracting Covid-19 while caring for patients. This tragedy, coupled with the incredible support he’d received, prompted Bill to do something in return.
Working with a dedicated team that includes a practising surgeon, attorney, IT specialist and former Springbok captain Jean de Villiers, Bill has established the Covid Healthcare Workers’ Family Fund to raise funds for the relatives of those who’ve died fighting the virus.
COVID-19: Bill is committed to support families of healthcare workers (Image: Sandile Ndlovu)
For the fundraising initiative launched on BackaBuddy, Bill committed to walking 900km before his 90th birthday on 9 June 2022, clocking 100 kilometres for every decade of his life.
For every kilometre missed, Bill said he’d pay R10 into the fund – and he’s encouraging other like-minded sponsors to support this cause. In support, Renishaw Property Developments, the developers of Renishaw Hills, contributed R10 for every kilometre Bill walked.
Since the launch of the campaign, Bill has raised over R22 500 through kind contributions from 27 donors.
Speaking at the event, Bill reminded everyone about the reason behind this walk:
“The funds will go to the families of healthcare workers who passed away from Covid-19, as many of those families have been left destitute with their breadwinner gone. The walk also aided me in recovering from my illness, and I really encourage everyone to get out there and exercise! I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed, and to the Renishaw Hills community for your greetings and encouraging comments on my daily walks through the village. Those really kept me going. Although I’ve reached my goal six weeks early, I think I’ll continue going and try to reach 1 000km by my birthday!”
Divine Mahara Chitubura (28), a full-time Afro-folk musician from Greyton, Western Cape, is on a mission to transform his family farm, in honour of his father, Edmond (58), who recently passed away after a two year battle with Melanoma cancer.
Originally from Zimbabwe, Divine has returned home to fulfil his father’s dying wish of transforming their homestead into a self-sustaining, safe and thriving environment to benefit his siblings’ Prayer (25), Tendai (22), Rutendo (15) and Shalom as well as his wider local community.
“My dad first acquired our farm in 2010, and in the last 12 years, it has been home to many people— passers-by in need of shelter and many children my parents took in when we were all children.”
“Both my late mom and dad worked harder than I’ve known anyone to work, right here on this farm. In its prime, it had hectares of crops and many animals including cattle, goats, chicken and pigs.” – says Divine
Divine says that with the passing of his mom 9 year ago, and his dad’s poor health, the family and consequently the farm went into a depression— bringing the farm to where it is now.
“Our farm has no water supply, no functioning plumbing system, and is missing many more necessities. There is also virtually no internet connectivity in the area, making things even more challenging.” – says Divine
Funding a father’s legacy
To help realise his father’s dream, Divine launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy with a fundraising target of R375 000, appealing for community support in the form of donations.
To Divine’s delight, his ‘water and wifi’ campaign has raised over R66 000, with generous contributions from 26 donors, including one of his heroes, Grammy-award winning singer/songwriter, Jason Mraz, who wrote a warm message of support:
“Your mission is noble and inspiring. I wish you luck and wellness on this journey. I hope I might come to visit you on this farm someday.” – Jason Mraz
“Jason Mraz’s song inspires me through this journey.. he sings ‘Look for the good in everything and that is what I am doing. As one of my greater role models, having him donate to this cause is incredibly encouraging. It motivates me to do more just as he is (he too has a farm!)” – says Divine
With funds raised, Divine says, the farm will not only be able to create work opportunities for locals, but it will also become a supplier of healthy, organic produce to the local towns and villages, and ultimately provide reliable internet connectivity for the entire community.
“My hope is that all that my parents worked for, will not be in vain and that we will continue to grow the seeds and multiply. We will collectively take it forward in the way I know they wanted to themselves. I am in awe of the impact BackaBuddy and all the wonderful donations are making in our lives.” – says Divine
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 R329 Million.
