For as long as he can remember, sport has been more than just a game for Andrew Russell – it’s been a language of hope, connection, and opportunity. Today, as the director and co-founder of sport4kids, Andrew has dedicated nearly two decades to ensuring that children from underserved communities can experience that same joy and belonging that the power of sport brought into his own life.
Through sport4kids, a non-profit organisation he started in 2006 with David and Jenny MacGregor, Andrew is helping rewrite the stories of children who might otherwise have been left on the sidelines. Their mission is simple yet profound: to give every child a chance to play – regardless of their financial background.
From the Field to the Heart
Andrew’s love for sport began in his early school days.
“I played everything I could – cricket, rugby, you name it,” he recalls fondly.
After studying, he spent eight years teaching and coaching at a high school before venturing into sports tourism. In 2000, he founded Cape Africa Tours, bringing sports teams from around the world to South Africa.
It was during these tours that Andrew began noticing a heartbreaking reality.
“Many of the local kids had incredible talent but no access – no kit, no coaching, and often, no transport,” he says.
Visiting teams would sometimes leave behind their equipment, and Andrew would distribute it to local schools. But the need was far greater than a few extra cricket bats or soccer balls. That realisation sparked the birth of sport4kids.
Since its founding, the organisation has helped hundreds of children participate in sports by providing them with equipment, uniforms, and access to coaching.
“We’ve seen shy, uncertain kids transform into confident young athletes,” Andrew explains. “Sport teaches teamwork, resilience, and belief – lessons that last long after the final whistle.”
A Vehicle of Hope
One of the organisation’s proudest moments came in 2016 when Westminster Under School in London raised funds for a 14-seater Toyota Quantum – a vehicle that became the beating heart of the programme.
“That van has transported countless children to practices, matches, and tournaments they otherwise would have missed,” says Andrew. “Without it, hundreds of fixtures would simply not have happened.”
But sustaining this vital service has become increasingly difficult. Rising fuel costs, maintenance fees, and the need for more sports gear have stretched their resources thin.
“Right now, we’re in urgent need of support to keep the vehicle running and ensure no child misses their shot at playing,” he adds.
In June 2025, Andrew launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, aptly titled ‘The Power of Sport’, to raise R250,000 for kits, equipment, and vehicle maintenance. So far, 10 donors have contributed R5,783.50, but the journey ahead remains long.
Yet Andrew remains hopeful.
“Every small donation truly helps,” he says. “A cricket bat or soccer ball might seem small, but for a child who’s never owned one, it means the world.”
Sport as a Lifeline for Mental Health
Beyond the physical benefits, Andrew believes sport has the power to nurture mental well-being and community belonging – something especially vital for South African youth.
“Sport gives kids a purpose, a sense of identity,” he explains. “It keeps them off the streets, away from dangerous paths, and helps them believe they belong to something bigger than themselves.”
He recalls one story that has stayed with him over the years: a young boy named Nathan, who received a scholarship to attend Plumstead High School through sport4kids.
“Nathan was sport-crazy and full of potential,” says Andrew proudly. “Today, he’s involved in coaching and giving back to other young athletes – proof of how the ripple effect of opportunity can change lives.”
For Andrew, these moments make every challenge worth it. “When a parent comes up to you after a match, with tears in their eyes, thanking you for believing in their child – that’s when you realise this work matters,” he says.
The Future: Building Champions On and Off the Field
Looking ahead, Andrew envisions a thriving network of empowered children and communities who see sport not as a luxury, but as a right.
“In ten years, I hope sport4kids will be bigger, stronger, and reaching even more schools across South Africa,” he says. “I don’t ever want to see another talented child sit out simply because they couldn’t afford to play.”
He also expresses deep gratitude to those who have already supported the cause.
“We’re incredibly thankful to everyone who’s donated and cheered us on thus far,” he says. “You’re not just funding sport – you’re giving kids hope, structure, and a reason to dream.”
As Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world.” For Andrew Russell and his team, those words aren’t just a quote – they’re a calling.
Keeping the Power of Sport Alive
For many children in Cape Town, sport4kids isn’t just about games – it’s about belonging, confidence, and healing. The organisation’s impact extends far beyond the playing field, fostering community, inclusion, and positive mental health.
Through his BackaBuddy campaign, Andrew hopes that more South Africans will recognise how even the smallest act of generosity can spark enormous change. “It doesn’t take a lot to make a difference,” he says. “Every bit counts – and together, we can keep the power of sport alive.”
Cape Town’s biggest 24-hour community cycle is back on 6–7 September 2025. Friends, families, corporates and schools will rotate through 24 hours on 60 bikes at Bishops’ Piley Rees field to raise R1,000,000 for youth development in Langa. Riders will take turns through the night to ride for purpose, ride for impact, and ride for change—because when a community moves, children’s futures move with it.
Cape Town’s 24-Hour BIGGEST Cycle Challenge Is Back
From its base at 22 Bitterhout Street, Langa, the VUSA Rugby & Learning Academy works with children aged 4 to 13, blending early learning, academic support, rugby and psychosocial care. One hundred percent of what the Challenge raises goes straight into these programmes. This year’s goals are practical and powerful: expand literacy so more children read for meaning by Grade 4; complete a new VUSA hub in Langa—with an income-generating deli, a reading garden, a fully equipped kitchen and safe learning spaces; and strengthen academic support by hiring more facilitators and purchasing better educational resources.
Born in 2021 through a collaboration led by Bishops Diocesan College with strong community backers (including Investec), the 24-hour format has grown every year thanks to thousands of champions who climb onto the bikes and keep the wheels turning. BackaBuddy returns as the official fundraising partner, hosting dozens of campaign pages so supporters can back a rider they know or donate directly to the Academy. The format is pure community: teams ride in shifts through the night, cheered on by music, live entertainment and food trucks. And the invitation is open—anyone can sign up a team, bring the gees and join a shift. If life won’t let you cycle, you can still be part of the story by donating. Every rand helps break the cycle of poverty and builds a future of opportunity.
The momentum tells its own story.
2021: R217,392 raised.
2022: R535,168 raised.
2023: 43 BackaBuddy campaigns rallied 1,141 donors to raise R909,883.10.
2024: 77 BackaBuddy campaigns rallied 1,337 donors to raise R1,080,403.94.
Total (2021–2024): R2,742,847.04 invested in children’s futures.
That funding translates into real-world wins. As the Academy put it: “Last year, your support helped us repair our Digibus (a mobile classroom), build a new library and computer lab, and set up a practice space for our social worker.”
That’s a classroom on wheels, books in little hands and a quiet room where care happens.
This year, the relay continues with 52 team campaigns already live. Early support is showing: 257 donors have contributed R 218 605 toward the R1,000,000 target. Those gifts turn into literacy coaches, shelves of well-loved books, nutritious meals from the new kitchen and steady mentors beside homework tables. They also help finish the Langa hub so that safe, bright spaces are ready for learning when the bell rings.
Ride for Purpose: How to Join
The VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge starts at 09:00 on Saturday, 6 September and wraps at 09:00 on Sunday, 7 September at Piley Rees, Bishops. The track will be a festival of nicknames and noise—proof that doing good can be joyful. Expect waves of teams from corporates, high schools and colleges, and prep/junior schools, alongside community clubs, alumni groups, families and friends. Some will be chasing lap counts, others bringing pure gees—but every crew will ride for purpose, ride for impact, and ride for change. New team pages are going live on BackaBuddy each week, so the roster will keep growing—yours can, too.
“This isn’t just a ride, guys—it’s a flip’n revolution.”
It’s what you’ll hear trackside when the music lifts and another shift tags in. Because this event is more than laps; it’s a relay of care. Anyone can take part—sign up a bike with friends, bring colleagues for a corporate shift, or gather your school team and ride in memory, in celebration, in solidarity. And if you can’t be there, send your support in the form of a donation—every bit helps, and every rider feels it.
When we say the city’s biggest cycle challenge is back, we mean bigger, bolder and filled with even more heart—thanks to partners who keep the wheels turning: Bishops Diocesan College, Investec, and the official fundraising partner, BackaBuddy, alongside the many community sponsors who add prizes, music and colour. Together we ride for purpose, impact and change—so that children in Langa can read with confidence, learn with dignity and dream without limits.
In July and August 2025, Nikita Van Rensburg (32) and her brother, Ricki Van Rensburg (38) rallied support for the Gatjie settlement (Cape Town) with a winter shoe drive and a follow-on crowdfunding initiative that is already changing daily life. The first drive launched on 17 July 2025, raising R21,500 and—together with sponsors—turning a hired hall into a day of dignity with hot meals and brand-new sneakers for children who’d been walking barefoot through winter mud. On 18 August 2025, she launched a second recurring donations campaign that has raised R22,500 so far toward a R200,000 goal to keep food on the table and repair leaking shacks. In total, 18 donors have given across both campaigns, including two anonymous R10,000 donations in the first three days, and many more partners have contributed goods, time, and heart. A surprise video call from Springbok captain Siya Kolisi on the day of the shoe drive also became a powerful spark for courage and belonging for the community of Gatjie.
A legacy of love, carried forward
“In 2018, my mom started handing out hot meals on a field in Diep River,” Nikita says. “She built deep relationships with the Gatjie community—hosting Christmas parties and fundraising for school supplies. She loved them, and they loved her back.”
When their mom passed away from a brain tumor, Nikita and Ricki promised to carry that legacy forward. The promise quickly turned into action: before a recent storm, they replaced roofs on a handful of shacks using their own funds.
“One elderly husband stepped inside to see the dry floor and collapsed, sobbing with relief. I’ll never forget that,” she recalls.
That moment—simple, human, unforgettable—captures the heartbeat of the campaign: practical love that keeps families warm, dry, and fed. It’s also why gestures like Siya Kolisi’s call matter so much—seeing a national captain show up for Gatjie tells every child their story is worth showing up for, too.
The August shoe drive answered an urgent need. Through a contact at Adidas, more than 80 pairs of brand-new sneakers arrived. New Balance added R10,000 and three pairs of socks per person—hundreds of pairs—so feet would stay warm and dry on muddy footpaths. With the funds raised online and meals donated locally, the team fitted little feet, served steaming plates, and reminded families that they are seen. All content and photographs from the shoe-drive event were captured and donated pro bono by Cape Town creative Ramon Mellett (Instagram: @ramonmellett).
“Some kids cried with happiness,” Nikita says. “One boy keeps his shoes in the box after school, so they stay nice.”
From shoes to shelter and supper
Shoes were the start, not the finish line. Cape Town’s winter rains turn thin, rusted roofs into sieves; mattresses, blankets, and clothing stay wet for days.
“We’ve made a priority list of homes needing repairs,” Nikita explains. “It costs about R2,500 to replace a roof, and some homes just need patchwork.”
Food is another urgent need. When storms close soup kitchens, children go to bed hungry.
“I’ll never forget a 3-year-old dipping her lollipop in water and saying it made her feel more full—because that day, they could only afford the lollipop.”
The plan now is year-round: provide meals, fix roofs, and host regular kids’ days filled with play, learning, and love—safe spaces where children can simply be children. The funds raised will go directly to food, clothing and blankets, and the materials and labour needed to repair shacks so families can sleep without fear that the roof will collapse.
Women’s Month, dignity and dreams
This Women’s Month, the work took on special meaning. On the day of the shoe handout, the children received a surprise video call from Springbok captain Siya Kolisi. He spoke courage into a young boy who’d been bullied; that night the child told his mom he was going to dream about meeting his hero. Even one of the bully’s moms came forward to apologise afterwards.
“The kids kept asking why Siya would speak to them,” Nikita says. “They need to know they matter—that where they come from isn’t something to be ashamed of.”
Girls also left with more than footwear. The Cora Project joined to run a pad drive and a powerful conversation about periods, confidence, and choice. They offered discreet bags for carrying pads—yet several girls chose to walk out holding their pads in hand, proudly. For Nikita, moments like these echo her mother’s heart: show up, feed people, and restore dignity.
Why this campaign matters now Gatjie is a small settlement with big hearts—and daily hurdles. Without sturdy shoes, children slog through sand and mud just to reach communal toilets; without intact roofs, families take turns sleeping for fear of collapse. Hunger makes it hard to learn; lacking basics erodes confidence. And yet the resilience is unmistakable.
“You can show up with nothing but yourself,” Nikita says, “and the kids will run to you for hugs.” Her long-term hope is clear: “I want to see at least one child from Gatjie grow up, leave the settlement, and be able to support their family. We can get there with nutrition, school supplies, sport, and connection.”
How you can help Every contribution stretches far: R2,500 can put a dry roof over a family; any amount helps fund weekly meals, clothing and blanket drops, and the next kids’ day. Corporate partners can donate shoes, socks, roofing materials, or food. Volunteers can cook, deliver, mentor—or simply show up. To connect about goods or time, reach Nikita on Instagram at @triggrGood. If you want to give right now, both campaign pages are live: the winter shoe drive here:https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/winter-shoe-drive-for-the-gatjie-kids and the ongoing support drive here:https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/helping-the-gatjie-community-together.
In just weeks, these efforts have raised R31,500 in cash—plus generous in-kind donations—and built a blueprint for hope that is practical, personal, and profoundly local. It looks like a dry mattress, a warm bowl of food, a pair of laces tied tight—and a child who believes tomorrow can be better than today.
If you’ve ever wondered what Ubuntu means—this is it. And this initiative is calling on the African spirit, and you, to climb on board and get involved.
Brandon Amronski, 62, is many things: a talented artist and photographer, a self-taught chef, a skilled potter, a gentle musician, a creative spirit, and above all — a loving dad. For the last few years, he’s poured everything he has into one dream: building a home of his own in Kommetjie, Cape Town.
With no contractor and no big budget, Brandon has been building his house — quite literally — with his own two hands. Brick by brick, alongside two faithful workers, he’s created a structure filled with hope, resilience, and heart. The project has taken over five years to materialise, as he first had to battle years of red tape just to gain approval to start construction. One year ago, he finally laid the first brick.
Brandon’s daughter, Luna, now 16, is the heart behind the BackaBuddy campaign trying to help him finish it. “I’m reaching out with a full heart and a shared dream — to help my beloved dad, Brandon, to finally finish the home he’s been building with his own two hands,” she says.
Brandon’s journey hasn’t been easy. At just 19, he fought in the war in Angola — an experience that left deep emotional scars compounded by his work as a press photographer from 1989-1998/9. More recently, he’s battled depression and PTSD while trying to recover from the devastating financial impact of COVID-19, which cost him much of his work and stability. Since then, he hasn’t been able to regain stable employment. The house became his anchor — a personal mission to create something lasting.
“This house means everything to him,” Luna shares. “It represents a place of safety, dignity, and a space where I can visit and sleep over — something we haven’t been able to do in years.”
Brandon currently lives in a small, one-bedroom cottage with no space for guests or family. His older daughter, who now lives in the Netherlands, has helped support him financially, but the budget has run out — and the house remains just shy of completion.
As Brandon’s 62nd birthday approaches on 25 July 2025, Luna hopes to give him the one thing he’s longed for: a finished home.
Instead of traditional birthday presents, Luna has set up a BackaBuddy campaign, inviting friends, family, and strangers alike to contribute toward specific costs still needed to complete the home:
R2,200 – Garage Door
R2,000 – Bathroom Tiling
R2,500 – One Week of Labour Support
R18,000 – Electrical Finishing
R20,000 – Geyser Installation
“Every bit helps,” Luna says. “This is more than a house — it’s a chance for him to feel proud again, to have his space, and maybe even find the motivation to re-enter the world.”
With R10,478 already raised toward their R59,000 goal, the dream is within reach.
To support Brandon’s dream and help him move into his home at last, visit the campaign here:
At just 14 years old, talented Imkhitha Joya from Old Crossroads in Nyanga, Cape Town, was rewriting what’s possible for a young girl with big dreams and an even bigger heart. As one of South Africa’s brightest young talents in chess, she’s earned national recognition and international invitations. Now, all she needed was a helping hand to keep her momentum going.
Earlier this year, Imkhitha was crowned South African U14 Girls Chess Champion after finishing undefeated at the Junior Closed Chess Championships. She also swept the Western Cape High Schools U15 Girls section, winning every game with a perfect score of six out of six. Her CHESSA rating now stood at 1811, making her the top-ranked U14 girl and 6th overall among female players in South Africa.
Despite these remarkable achievements, the road had not been easy.
Photo credit: Flashlight Pictures
In 2025 alone, Imkhitha qualified to represent South Africa at the African Individual Chess Championships, the African Schools Championships, and the FIDE Youth Olympiad. But each time, she had to stay behind — not because she wasn’t good enough, but because there simply wasn’t enough money or time to raise what was needed.
Her coach and mentor, Thando Hlakula, says those missed opportunities had been some of the toughest parts of her journey. “She worked so hard to qualify, but without funding, we couldn’t make it happen. Watching her miss out on experiences she earned was heartbreaking.”
But now, there was a second chance.
Imkhitha was invited to represent South Africa at the World Youth Chess Championships in Albania this October, and the African Youth Chess Championships in Algeria this December. These two tournaments are not just another opportunity — they are pivotal moments in her development, stepping stones on her path to becoming a Woman International Master, and eventually a grandmaster.
To get to Albania, Imkhitha needed to raise over R94,000 on her BackaBuddy campaign. The total includes return flights, visas, entry fees, accommodation, and daily expenses for herself and her coach, who will also serve as her guardian abroad.
Imkhitha’s campaign has reached limits that were unimaginable, raising over R136000, far beyond their target of R100000 from 154 incredible donors, “It’s been so moving to see people stepping up for her. Every bit of support, no matter the size, shows her that her hard work is seen and valued.”
Photo credit: Flashlight Pictures
Imkhitha’s story began in 2020 when she was introduced to chess through a school programme at Isigcawu Primary. It didn’t take long for her teachers and coaches to realise she had something special — but talent didn’t bring her easy wins.
“She lost every single game in her first tournament,” Thando remembered. “But what stood out wasn’t the loss — it was how she responded. She didn’t cry. She didn’t complain. She asked when the next tournament was.”
“She kept showing up, kept learning, and kept improving.”
Since then, she’s become known not just for her sharp mind, but for her humility, focus, and work ethic. Some days, she trains for up to eight hours. “She has a hunger to learn that I’ve rarely seen,” says Thando. “She doesn’t want to just be the best — she wants to keep getting better.”
Her breakthrough came this year, when she returned to the SA Junior Closed Championships with one goal in mind: to win. “Last year, she came second and was crushed by it,” he shares. “She learned from that. This year, she came back stronger, beat the defending champion, and walked away undefeated. It was a proud moment — one we’ll never forget.”
But Imkhitha’s motivation is about more than titles. She sees herself as someone who can shift perceptions — not just of what chess is, but of who belongs in the game.
“Representing South Africa is something she takes very seriously,” says Thando. “Her story challenges what people think is possible for young girls in townships like Crossroads. She’s showing that brilliance, discipline, and greatness can come from anywhere — all they need is a chance.”
Traveling internationally won’t be easy for a 14-year-old, which is why Thando will accompany her to both Albania and Algeria.
“She needs someone she trusts by her side,” he explains. “Not just for logistics, but for emotional support. Someone to help her stay grounded, strategise between rounds, and remind her why she belongs on that stage.”
For now, Imkhitha was focused on raising the funds to get there.
“Any contribution, big or small, ensured that a young girl from a disadvantaged background wasn’t held back by lack of funds,” Thando said. “She’s had done the work. She’s earned the opportunity. We just needed the support to help her take that next step.”
To support Imkhitha Joya, visit her BackaBuddy campaign link here:
