For BackaBuddy’s chief growth officer, Catherine Swanepoel, generosity is about more than donating money. It’s about building connections, finding your tribe, and creating a community that continues to show up.

Her passion for giving started in childhood, when her mother would take her and her siblings to orphanages during Christmas, encouraging them to use their pocket money to buy gifts for children in need. Those experiences shaped her desire to make the world a better place, eventually leading her into the nonprofit sector, where she built a career in fundraising and marketing.

Catherine Swanepoel, chief growth officer and co-founder at BackaBuddy. Photo supplied

Eleven years ago, she was given the opportunity to help revive BackaBuddy, a crowdfunding platform originally established by Alan Buten, who wanted to introduce South Africa to the crowdfunding concept he had encountered in the United Kingdom.

Following Buten’s unexpected passing, the platform closed. Catherine, who had been using BackaBuddy for a fundraising initiative of her own, connected with Patrick Schofield, who was willing to take over the platform.

What followed was a journey of rebuilding and growing the initiative from scratch. Today, BackaBuddy facilitates approximately R30m in fundraising every month for causes across Southern Africa.

Years of working alongside nonprofit organisations revealed a recurring challenge – sustainability. While once-off donations can alleviate immediate needs, many organisations require consistent support to continue their work, Swanepool explained.

Animals need feeding every day, hospice nurses need to care for patients, and vulnerable communities need ongoing assistance. This inspired Donors for Life, a programme designed to help non-profit organisations build sustainable monthly giving communities.

The philosophy is simple: find your tribe. Rather than donating once, supporters are encouraged to become part of a cause they genuinely believe in, contributing whatever they can afford each month, even R20 or R50.

Donors

In return, organisations are encouraged to keep donors involved by sharing the tangible impact of their contributions. It is about creating a relationship, Swanepoel said, where people understand the difference they make and feel part of something bigger.

Two years ago, the importance of community support became deeply personal for her when her husband passed away. 

For the first time, she experienced BackaBuddy from the perspective of someone needing help. The experience showed her that support goes far beyond financial contributions. The messages, memories, and people who showed up reminded her of the community surrounding her family.

It renewed her commitment to growing BackaBuddy and extending its reach across Africa. Ultimately, Donors for Life is built on the belief that meaningful change happens when people find one another, share a purpose and continue showing up. Because sometimes finding your tribe means discovering you never have to make a difference alone.

OFM News/Ditebogo Molefi dg

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