Welcome to the BackaBuddy Impact Village
A space where purpose meets progress. Here, we share practical insights from our team, proven crowdfunding guidance, and real stories of people whose lives are changing because ordinary donors chose to act
Twin’s unexpected death reveals rare diagnosis, that could spare her sister’s life
On the 29th of May 2020, Lisa (41) and Russell Swanepoel (38) from Berea, Durban, who for years longed to be parents, finally welcomed their twin daughters, Stevie-Mae, and Lily-Jean, into the world. A few months later, the twins were diagnosed with epilepsy after…
Kidney Transplant | Family Rejoices as Mom Becomes Living Donor to Save Son’s Life
Shaun Phelan (23), an electrical apprentice from Stanger, Kwa-Zulu Natal, learned that his dad, Shaun (Senior), was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure in January 2020. Just 3 months later, doctors discovered that his kidney function was less than 4%. Hearing that…
Successful Surgery | Born with 3 Congenital Heart Defects, Baby Liané receives life-saving operation
Liané Roux, a 10-month old baby from Secunda, Mpumalanga has faced a number of serious health issues since the start of her life, as a result of being born with 3 congenital heart defects. Concerned that their daughter (who was 4 months old at the time) was showing…
Crowdfunding 101: The importance of your first donations and how to reach potential donors.
Welcome to BackaBuddy – the home of crowdfunding. If you have arrived on this page, you may need help finding your donors before setting up your first crowdfunding campaign. Where can I find my donors? 1. Reach out to family and friends first. The…
Klerksdorp Mom succumbs to injuries 5 months after hit-and-run accident in Cape Town.
Charlene Drotsky (34), a stay-at-home mom from Klerksdorp, North West, was involved in a hit-and-run accident on 2 April 2022, while on holiday with her fiancé, Corné Viljoen (39) in Malmesbury, Cape Town. After spending a night out with friends, a man with a bakkie…
Durban Floods: Gift of the Givers uplifts KZN communities in the wake of devastation and destruction.
Since Monday 11 April 2022, when one of the worst floods in South Africa’s history hit Durban, Kwa-Zulu Natal, at least 448 individuals were killed, and the damage to property and infrastructure in the region was insurmountable. In the wake of the destruction brought…
TRIGGER WARNING | Gran (47) left disfigured after gruesome attack by employer’s pit bulls
Selina Kokolosi (47), a grandmother from Potchefstroom, Northwest Province, who works as a domestic worker, was attacked and grievously mauled by her employer’s three pit bulls on 25 January 2022. The dogs, which are ordinarily locked away when Selina arrives for…
Conservationist’s dream of completing record-breaking open-water swim grinds to a halt
Sarah Ferguson, an ultra-distance swimmer from South Africa, has completed an incredible 516.49km of the 1 500km One Ocean Swim from her home town of Durban through to Cape Town. However, without further donations towards her plastic pollution awareness campaign,…
Single mom’s life-long sacrifice, caring for her son (35) who has a multitude of incurable diseases
On Friday, Victor du Plessis, 35, sadly passed away due to multiple organ failures after he suffered from various incurable diseases. Marlene Mans (52) a single mom from Rustenburg, Johannesburg, has dedicated her entire life to caring for her son, Victor du Plessis…
Rare Cancer | 4-year-old Janique needs gene-targeted therapy in Texas to save her life
Janique Venter, a fun-loving 4-year-old young girl from Bloemfontein, was diagnosed with stage 3 Neuroblastoma Cancer, at 6 months old. With this form of cancer, tumours develop from immature nerve cells found in several areas of the body. Thus far, none of the…
Rare Genetic Disorder | $2.3 Million drug is needed to save 7-month old Baby Novah
7-month-old, Baby Novah De Wet, from Aggeneys, Northern Cape, was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 1, a fatal, rare genetic disorder that affects important motor neurons in the body, responsible for movement and muscle development. The condition which…
Cape Town siblings may have a new genetic variant that has not yet been recorded worldwide.
Aaron Lipschitz (7) 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. In simple terms, the cells in Aaron’s immune system do not communicate…