Cape Town, South Africa — In classrooms across South Africa, teachers are expected to do more than teach.
They are often asked to support learners facing trauma, poverty, violence, anxiety, barriers to learning and emotional distress, while also carrying the pressure of large classes, academic outcomes, administrative demands and their own wellbeing.
For many teachers, the weight has become too heavy.
The Difference Institute, a Cape Town-based organisation focused on teacher wellbeing and learner support, has launched a BackaBuddy campaign to help sponsor teachers to attend creative, play-based and experiential workshops designed to strengthen emotional regulation, trauma-informed teaching and inclusive classroom practice.
The campaign, The Difference Institute, has raised R14,000, reaching around 47% of its R30,000 goal, with support from 17 donors.
The campaign hopes to raise enough to support 100 teachers in 100 days, reaching at least 3,500 learners through the adults who spend their days guiding, teaching and caring for them.
Teachers Are Carrying More Than The Curriculum
In South Africa, many public school teachers interact with anywhere from 35 to more than 300 learners a day. Every interaction matters.
A teacher’s presence can inspire, motivate and create safety. But when teachers are overwhelmed, under-supported and emotionally exhausted, classrooms can become difficult spaces for both educators and learners.
“Our teachers are not okay,” founder Julia Daniels shares. “In many schools, they feel overwhelmed, stressed and ill-equipped to deal with the challenges confronting them in their classrooms every day, in addition to the enormous pressure to produce academic outcomes.”
Across the country, concerns about teacher burnout, overcrowding and retention continue to grow.
The Difference Institute believes that while one organisation cannot solve systemic inequality, it can help teachers feel more supported, better equipped and less alone.
Helping Teachers Hold Space For Learners
Learners are struggling too.
Many children arrive at school carrying experiences of violence, trauma, poverty, grief, anxiety and barriers to learning. In many communities, school needs to become more than a place of academic instruction. It needs to be a refuge.
The Difference Institute’s workshops are designed to help teachers navigate these realities with more confidence, empathy and practical tools.
The workshops use creative, play-based and experiential methods to support teachers with emotional regulation, connection, curiosity, imagination and classroom wellbeing.
They are grounded in research in critical pedagogy, psychology and neuroscience, and are professionally accredited so teachers can gain continuous professional development points.
The aim is to help educators facilitate learning in trauma-informed, inclusive and neurodiversity-affirming ways, while fostering empathy, kindness and a renewed enjoyment of learning.
The Goal: 100 Teachers In 100 Days
The campaign’s goal is clear: sponsor 100 teachers in 100 days.
Each 3-hour workshop costs R300 per teacher, meaning even a small donation can help place a teacher in a space of support, reflection and practical learning.
If 100 teachers attend, The Difference Institute estimates that at least 3,500 learners could be impacted.
For many learners, one teacher who feels more regulated, connected and equipped can change the tone of a classroom.
For teachers, the workshops offer more than training. They offer breathing room, community and practical strategies they can carry back into their schools.
As Archbishop Desmond Tutu once said: “The tidal wave of change begins with a million ripples.”
This campaign is about creating those ripples, one teacher at a time.
Real Impact In Classrooms
Teachers and school leaders who have attended The Difference Institute’s workshops have already shared how meaningful the experience has been.
“The workshop evoked a renewed sense of hope,” shared Tammy-Lee, a teacher from the Cape Flats. “Sometimes we as educators become despondent and see a learner as ‘naughty’ when in actual fact the child is communicating a need with us.”
Rodger, a principal from Stellenbosch, said the workshop helped teachers feel empowered and motivated to explore new approaches.
“Teachers left the workshop feeling empowered and motivated to explore innovative approaches in their classrooms,” he shared. “This newfound confidence and enthusiasm have translated into tangible improvements in our teaching practices, ultimately benefiting the academic and personal growth of our students.”
More Than A Workshop
The Difference Institute’s work extends beyond once-off sessions.
The organisation also hosts free community support and conversation spaces for teachers and support staff in the education ecosystem, facilitates communities of practice, develops targeted resources for teachers and schools, and supports leadership teams.
Its broader mission is to help build classrooms where teachers feel supported and learners feel seen, understood and able to learn.
The campaign also invites people to nominate a teacher, school or themselves for sponsorship.
Community Support Needed
The BackaBuddy campaign has already raised nearly half of its target, but continued support is needed to reach more teachers before the campaign closes.
Every R300 can sponsor one teacher to attend a workshop.
Every donation helps strengthen the adults who are holding classrooms together under difficult conditions.
Every share helps the campaign reach someone who believes teachers deserve support too.
To support The Difference Institute’s campaign, visit their BackaBuddy campaign page.
For more information about The Difference Institute, visit their website or contact them at [email protected].
Randburg, South Africa: An extraordinary wave of community support has emerged following the passing of David Sejobe, a long-serving front-of-house security officer at the MultiChoice Randburg office, whose warmth, kindness, and humanity left a lasting impression on all who encountered him.
In response to his passing, colleagues and community members launched a BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign to support the Sejobe family during this time of loss. Within just three days, the campaign raised over R400,000, surpassing its original R20,000 goal by more than 2,000%, through contributions from over 1,038 unique donors, reflecting the profound impact David had on those around him.
David had been a familiar and cherished presence at the MultiChoice Randburg office since 2015. Known for his welcoming smile and genuine care for others, he consistently created moments of connection that went far beyond his professional role. For many colleagues and visitors, David was a daily source of encouragement, someone who made people feel seen, valued, and uplifted.
Tributes shared by donors describe him as a “ray of sunshine”, a deeply selfless individual, and a man whose compassion and faith guided the way he treated others. Many contributors noted that even brief interactions with David left a lasting impression, underscoring how quietly and consistently he lived out his values.
The funds raised through the campaign will assist with any additional expenses, as well as provide immediate support to David’s family as they navigate the emotional and practical realities of their loss. Organisers emphasise that the campaign was created to ensure the family does not face this difficult period alone.
While the financial goal was modest, the response has been overwhelming, transforming the campaign into a collective act of remembrance and solidarity. The scale of support has offered comfort not only to the family, but also to colleagues and community members seeking a meaningful way to honour David’s life.
With 11 days remaining in the campaign, organisers continue to encourage those who are able to contribute or share the campaign, noting that every gesture of support helps sustain the family in the weeks ahead.
To support the Family, visit the BackaBuddy campaign link here: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/campaign/supporting-the-sejobe-family-in-memory-of-david
Germiston / Cape Town, South Africa — February 2026 Kutlwano Kenneth Yika, a 27-year-old street musician based in Germiston, Gauteng, has spent years performing across towns and cities in South Africa, from busy traffic intersections to public spaces, building a national following long before his recent viral rise on social media.
Now, after gaining widespread online attention for his performances, Yika is converting that visibility into direct community support through a BackaBuddy crowdfunding campaign aimed at expanding his live performances even further.
Launched 12 days ago, Yika’s campaign, Travel the World With Me, has raised over R15 000 from 10 unique donors toward a R150 000 goal. The funds will support travel, fuel, and basic touring costs, allowing him to continue performing in South African towns and cities he has already visited, while also reaching new audiences locally and internationally.
“Being a street musician has helped get me the recognition I need, whether through word of mouth or social media,” Yika says. “It’s helped with my growth, particularly performing at the highest level, knowing how to read the mood and project my voice.”
A Career Built on Movement and Consistency
Long before viral videos brought him global attention, Yika travelled between towns across South Africa, busking daily and refining his craft in unpredictable environments.
“I focused on what I was doing before integrating social media, busking every single day all over Gauteng and beyond,” he explains. “That consistency is what shaped me.”
Street performance, however, has not always been met with understanding.
“Performing at traffic lights is never something people expect,” Yika says. “I’ve been misunderstood or viewed as an imposter, people thinking I’m lip-syncing, because of how unique my approach is.”
Despite this, his performances began resonating far beyond the street corners where they started. His international, nostalgic song choices, paired with a distinctive vocal style, attracted online viewers who stayed.
“The music is international and nostalgic, that’s a winner on its own,” he says. “But I think my voice and style of singing is what sold me to the world.”
Virality With Perspective
While social media has amplified his reach, Yika remains cautious about its impact.
“Being viral helps with people reaching out,” he says, “but it can also be detrimental. New people sometimes expect an overnight success story.”
Instead, he has used platforms like TikTok livestreaming as a tool, not a shortcut, to sustain his work.
“My livestreams help add more money to sustain my brand and living needs,” he says, “but the foundation is still live performance.”
Community Support Across Borders
The campaign’s donor base reflects Yika’s growing national and international reach, with contributions from South Africa and abroad.
“Hope to see you in the UAE! ❤️” wrote Tiffany Govender, who donated R2,000. “Good luck, looking forward to meeting you in person,” wrote Barbara, contributing US$100. “Live the dream,” added Wizard LFC, a repeat donor to the campaign.
For Yika, these messages reinforce his belief in community-driven careers.
“I serve a purpose,” he says. “I entertain, and my supporters love great talent. They also support other acts online, but they get to spend more time with me.”
“Travel the World With Me”
For Kutlwano Yika, this campaign is more than fundraising, it’s an invitation.
“People always have certain views of success and progress,” he says. “Taking this decision now feels right, it shows growth for my work and my brand.”
Through Travel the World With Me, Yika is asking supporters to help rewrite what success looks like for independent artists, not as overnight fame, but as a journey powered by community.
“It helps change the narrative of a struggling artist,” he explains. “Music stars are what they are because of financial support from their fans.”
Each contribution helps put fuel in the tank, move the music from one town to the next, and turn years of grassroots street performances across South Africa into a global journey, one city, one crowd, and one song at a time.
For those who’ve ever stopped at a traffic light, scrolled past a video, or believed in raw talent, Yika’s message is simple: travel the world with me, and be part of where the music goes next.
For most parents, those words would bring relief. For Matthew and Jenny Sanan, they became the most frightening sentence they would hear again and again.
Because when your child is still having seizures, sometimes dozens a day, “normal” doesn’t mean healthy. It means unanswered questions. It means living in the dark.
This is the reality that the Sanan family and their son, Declan, have lived with for the past ten years.
Meet Declan
Declan (soon to be 12 in May this year) is the bravest person his parents know, but more than that, he is kind.
He has a warm, gentle nature, the kind that draws people in instantly. He loves playing Fortnite and Roblox, practises Taekwondo, and has a quiet determination that defines who he is. His parents describe his greatest strength simply as “trying.”
Declan has seizures. He recovers. And then he gets up and wants to carry on living. “That’s his superpower,” Matthew says. “He never gives up.”
A Childhood Marked by Waiting
Declan’s seizures began when he was just two years old.
What followed was a decade of searching, endless hospital visits, tests, scans, genetic investigations, and late nights filled with fear and exhaustion. Each seizure brought the same unspoken question: What damage is this doing?
And still, the answers never came.
“You live with this constant, quiet desperation,” the couple explains. “You’re always hoping the next doctor might see something the others missed.”
But scan after scan came back the same. Normal.
Why ‘Normal’ Was the Hardest Result
People assume a normal scan is good news. For families like Declan’s, it’s the opposite.
“When your child is suffering, ‘normal’ just means we don’t know what’s wrong,” Matthew says. “Finding something, even something scary, would have given us hope. It would have meant there was a target. An end in sight.”
Instead, normal meant waiting. And darkness.
A Breakthrough That Changed Everything
Late one night, driven by desperation and hope in equal measure, Matthew searched online for new answers. He typed in four words: “AI in epilepsy.”
That search led him to the MELD Project, an experimental research initiative overseas. Matthew shared Declan’s story and sent through his son’s scans, scans that had been called “perfect” for years.
The first response came back uncertain. A low-confidence signal. Matthew thanked them, then mentioned something else: Declan had undergone seven MRIs over his lifetime. Could they look at all of them?
Weeks later, the answer came. The same hidden signal appeared in five out of seven scans.
Without showing the AI results, the team shared Declan’s scans with a world-renowned specialist. He spotted it too, becoming the first human to see what had been missed for a decade.
For the first time, there was clarity. For the first time, there was a plan.
From One Child to Many
That moment changed everything.
“If technology could find something that had been missed for ten years,” Matthew realised, “how many other children are still sitting with ‘normal’ scans, waiting in the dark?”
That question became the heart of Project Unseen.
Matthew began building his own system, not as a finished solution, but as a foundation. A way to give doctors another set of eyes. A way to help turn “incurable” into “treatable.”
Why the Community Stepped In
The technology needed to do this work isn’t simple, or cheap. It requires serious computing power, far beyond what most families or hospitals can access.
Matthew made a deliberate choice: instead of keeping this work overseas or private, he turned to the community. Crowdfunding allowed Project Unseen to be built here, for South African patients, alongside local doctors and researchers.
And the response was extraordinary.
The campaign didn’t just reach its goal, it surpassed it, raising over R200,000 from people who believed in the possibility of change. Every cent will be paid directly to the equipment supplier. The machine itself will be a shared community resource, dedicated to helping doctors flag what the human eye might miss.
What Hope Looks Like Now
Project Unseen is still in its early stages. Matthew is careful to manage expectations.
“This isn’t a finished tool yet,” he says. “Right now, I’m building the engine.”
But the vision is clear: a future where families don’t wait ten years for answers. Where “normal” doesn’t end the conversation. Where hope arrives sooner.
For parents still searching, Matthew and Jenny have one message:
“Pray. Trust your gut. If you feel there’s an answer out there, don’t stop looking. Technology is moving fast, and there is always hope.”
Turning the Lights On
Declan’s journey is still unfolding. Plans are being made. Steps are being taken. But because of one child, one family, and a community that chose to believe, the lights are beginning to turn on for others too.
What would you do with all the money in the world?
When a father was once asked this question, his answer was simple: “I would educate my children.”
From that wish, Luma was born, a Whats App learning platform built to make high-quality education accessible to every child in Africa, no matter where they live, what school they attend, or the resources available to them. This vision has grown into the Luma Learn Foundation NPC, led by founders Chris Folayan,James Barnard and Matt Cornelius, who are determined to change the way learners prepare for exams and unlock their futures.
But this year, they took that dream far beyond the screen. They took it on the road.
100 Schools. 30 Days. 5,000 Kilometres. An Unforgettable National Education Tour.
In October and November 2025, the Luma team packed their equipment, charged their devices, and climbed into a car that would carry them across South Africa on a journey to visit 100 schools in 30 days, covering more than 5,000 kilometres. Their aim: To bring Luma directly to the learners, teachers, and communities who need it most.
Across KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, Gauteng, and the Free State – from large urban schools to small rural classrooms – the team introduced thousands of learners to Luma’s free study resources, showing them how to revise efficiently, how to prepare for exams using the platform, and how to believe in themselves as they work toward better futures.
At each stop, the team shared stories, captured new ones, conducted interviews, and built relationships. They listened to what learners struggle with. They offered guidance to teachers who often carry entire communities on their shoulders. And they reminded parents that their hopes for their children are shared and supported.
The road trip schedule was intense, but the Luma Team Gees as well as the heart behind what they are doing got them through – early mornings in Durban classrooms, scenic reflection stops in Clarens, youth-led interviews in Johannesburg, rural partnerships in Zululand, and a final celebration week in Gauteng. Yet everywhere they went, the response was the same:
“We need this.” “We want to learn.” “Thank you for coming to us.”
Moments That Changed Them
Throughout the trip, there were countless moments that left James and Matt deeply moved.
Whether it was hearing from a Grade 12 student who studies by candlelight or watching a classroom of learner’s cheer as they mastered a topic they had been struggling with, the Luma team were reminded, again and again, of why this work matters. This wasn’t just a road trip. It was a reminder of what is possible when innovation meets grit, hope meets action, and education meets opportunity.
Why This Journey Needs a Village
Although Luma is free for learners, the journey to bring it into classrooms carries real costs. The team calculated that each kilometre of this nationwide tour cost about R35, covering fuel, travel, equipment, and the educational materials they delivered along the way.
Every kilometer funded helped Luma reach one more classroom. One more learner. One more future changed.
And while the national tour may be complete, the need is not. Luma aims to continue expanding access, deepening its support for rural and township schools, and uplifting learners in communities that have long been left behind.
This is where the BackaBuddy community steps in.
Supporters can sponsor kilometers, sponsor future school visits, help increase Luma’s reach, or contribute to the operational capacity needed to grow their impact sustainably. Every donation, whether R35 or R3500, is a step further along the road toward equalising education.
What Comes Next: A Bigger Partnership, A Bigger Dream
Something exciting is taking shape behind the scenes.
BackaBuddy and Luma are collaborating closely to build a long-term recurring giving model, a sustainable funding stream that will help the Luma Learn Foundation keep showing up for learners year after year.
We won’t reveal too much just yet… but keep your eyes on this space. Big things are coming, and they involve thousands more children gaining access to the tools they need to succeed.
Join the Journey
If education is the key to unlocking opportunity, then Luma is the hand holding that key toward the future – and this road trip has shown that when communities rally behind education, real transformation is possible.
