Kaboutjie SA Mommy Blogs by Lynne Huysamen
Mandela Day, held annually on July 18th, offers a unique opportunity for South Africans to come together and honour the legacy of Nelson Mandela by giving back to their communities.
While many citizens volunteer for 67 minutes on this special day, some individuals aren’t always able to participate in person during the workday because of geography, schedules and other logistical barriers. GivenGain offers the perfect solution, enabling companies to set up Mandela Day fundraising pages online, thereby empowering employees to make a difference through online giving. With thousands of corporates around the country, the fundraising potential is enormous.
GivenGain, a global non-profit online fundraising platform founded by South Africans, is gearing up for this year’s Mandela Day with an ambitious target – to raise over R1 million for charities across the country. By harnessing the power of online fundraising, GivenGain aims to unite South African corporates in a collective effort to make a lasting impact on the lives of those in need.
Last year, the South African community came together on the platform, raising just over R840,000 for 75 charities on Mandela Day. One remarkable example was the initiative led by online fashion and lifestyle retailer, Freedom of Movement (FOM), which raised R74,695 for the Kolisi Foundation’s Mandela Day project – acquiring a ‘bakkie’ for Mama Lungi’s community kitchen. FOM inspired their employees and network to contribute, pledging: “We as FOM have committed to contribute R50 000 towards getting Lungi a bakkie. Additionally, we’ve pledged to give R67 for each contribution made by our FOM family.”
The combination of in-person volunteerism and online fundraising is a force for good, maximising the potential to effect change. GivenGain recognises the power of partnerships between corporates and fundraising tech platforms like itself to support local causes and communities.
“GivenGain’s mission is to bring 50 corporates on board for Mandela Day,” says Jannie Smith, Regional Manager of Sub-Saharan Africa at GivenGain. “We believe that by joining forces with these companies, we can empower them with the fundraising technology to make a tangible difference for local communities and showcase their commitment to corporate social responsibility.”
With just over a month before Mandela Day, the challenge is on for corporates to embrace online fundraising and drive initiatives internally. If 50 corporates encourage 150 employees to each donate R67, and then match those contributions, reaching – and surpassing – the R1 million fundraising goal will be achievable. A downloadable Mandela Day corporate pack and one-on-one support from GivenGain make it easy for companies to get involved.
Participating in online fundraising projects not only positively impacts the charities being supported but also has numerous benefits for the corporate world. Fundraising initiatives foster a progressive and inclusive company culture, demonstrate an organisation’s commitment to charitable giving, and provide employees with a meaningful way to give back to their communities and the causes they care about.
“We invite South African corporates to embrace the responsibility to do good and join us on GivenGain for this year’s Mandela Day,” urges Smith. “Together, we can leverage the immense power of corporate participation and online fundraising to enable meaningful change in our society.”
About GivenGain Foundation
GivenGain is a global non-profit fundraising platform. Founded in 2001, they’ve helped charities raise hundreds of millions of rands across the globe, in over 100 countries. As a non-profit, they exist solely to help charities and don’t profit from fundraising. It’s these values combined with best-in-class technology and a team to match that means they’re trusted by world-leading organisations like Unicef, Deloitte and the Boston Marathon.
To find out more about GivenGain, visit their website, or find them onFacebook, Twitter,Instagram or LinkedIn.
