With the festive season just around the corner and the prevailing cost-of-living challenges, the resilient spirit of ubuntu continues to shine throughout South Africans.

Romario Valentine, a 12-year-old environmental enthusiast and 2022 BirdLife SA Owlet laureate from Umhlanga, Durban, is making waves with his extraordinary dedication to protecting the planet.

The Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha has launched their #MyFirstChristmas campaign to help bring some cheer to the abandoned animals.

At just 17 years old, Kylie Rossouw from Kempton Park, Johannesburg, faced a formidable challenge that tested her strength and determination.

In the heart of Devon Valley, Stellenbosch, a creche and kindergarten is making an indelible impact on the lives of 21 underprivileged children.

A host of South African celebs have taken up the challenge to #StepItUp for children born with clubfoot.

Imkhitha Joya, an extraordinary young chess prodigy, has been granted the honour of representing South Africa at the prestigious African Youth Chess Championship in Egypt.

Mpumalanga resident, Robin Lewis, and his wife, Jolandie, will embark on a 10-year 64-country journey spanning three continents to spread global awareness around the importance of stem cell donation. The pair, who will start their Matches on the Map journey from their hometown Nelspruit in August, will be travelling an estimated 110 000 kilometres through […]

Painting an animal clinic in a township, passing down knitting skills, soup kitchens and medical students volunteering services to the elderly are just some of the ways South Africans marked Mandela Day. GroundUp attended a few events in Cape Town and Durban. Cape Town Charity organisation Ladles of Love hosted a variety of crafts activities. Volunteers […]

Mandela Day is an international initiative started by the United Nations in 2009 to honour our former president’s spirit of self-sacrifice. If you’re keen on rolling up your sleeves to do your bit for 67 minutes this Mandela Day, but aren’t quite sure what to do, Mdzananda Animal Clinic needs your help to paint their […]

As South Africa joins the world in commemorating Nelson Mandela Month this July, the government has called on citizens to continue to spread the magic of Madiba by turning the tide against food insecurity and climate change in honour of Nelson Mandela’s legacy. The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), in a statement, described former […]

Larry Nyoni (28), a dedicated father hailing from Yeoville, Johannesburg, and working as a barrister for the Just Darling coffee van, has emerged as a true hero after demonstrating exceptional courage in the face of a life-threatening situation at Marist Brothers Linmeyer. It was a fateful day on Friday, the 23rd of June 2023, the […]

Dirk Brouwer (61), a resident of Strathavon, Johannesburg, has embarked on a deeply moving crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to raise funds for his first grandson, Levi, who was born on January 23, 2023, with a rare Congenital Heart Defect known as singular ventricle complex. Levi’s unique heart condition, affecting only 0.005% of newborns, means he […]

Winter has set in Cape Town with icy temperatures and heavy rains. The Mdzananda Animal Clinic in Khayelitsha says that the pets of Khayelitsha township are feeling its effect. To make a difference in the lives of these animals, the organisation has created an easy way for the public to help keep Khayelitsha pets warm. […]

Graham Wells, a 46-year-old resident of Pelham, Pietermaritzburg, is taking on his 7th Comrades Marathon barefoot on June 11, 2023. He’s running to raise funds for the “Run for a Roof” campaign, a cause that he has been a part of since its inception in 2021. This initiative, started by One Life Foundation, has raised […]

Krugersdorp, South Africa – Cindy Duplessis (42), a  resident of Krugersdorp, along with a group of friends, has launched a heartwarming crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to help Roelien Homan, a beloved member of the community, purchase new hearing aids. Roelien, a well-known property professional with a deep passion for animals, lost her hearing after battling […]

Zelda Carlamarie Eberson (40), a single mother from South Africa, and her 17-year-old son, Jordan, find themselves in a dire situation and make a desperate plea for help to return home. After facing a series of challenges and hardships during their stay in the Philippines, Zelda, who battles with mental illness including depression and severe […]

Marcelle Viljoen, a longstanding member of the Ouskip Caravan Resort community for the past nine years, has taken a proactive step to support three families devastated by a recent fire. Viljoen has launched a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy, appealing for assistance in rebuilding the lives of those affected. On May 15, 2023, tragedy struck when […]

A team of adventurers led by Cami Palomo (62), founder of the Avela Foundation, is set to embark on an arduous mountain trek to raise funds for the Umatter program. Palomo, originally from El Salvador but now living in Cape Town, will be joined by seven men, two of whom are from South Africa. The […]

  Registered NPO FoodForward SA (FFSA), launched its Mother and Child Nutrition Programme, this week in Khayelitsha, Cape Town. The child-centred food intervention will be implemented in collaboration with Philani Nutrition Centre and is aimed at addressing the growing problem of malnutrition, especially during the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, in food-insecure households. […]

Lisa Peché, a devoted mother from Fourways, Johannesburg, is seeking support to fund her daughter Madison’s trip to Malta for the International Invitational gymnastics competition. Madison, a gifted young gymnast, has been training since she was five years old to fulfil her dream of competing on the world stage. She has already secured over 20 […]

Taylea duToit, a resident of Sea Point, Cape Town, launched a crowdfunding campaign to help Siyabonga “Siya” Zimoshile (44) rebuild his informal home after it was demolished by the city of Cape Town. Within 24 hours, the campaign exceeded its target, raising R45,000 with the support of 50 donors. Siya is a security guard at Taylea’s […]

The KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Department of Health has distributed assistive devices to more than 3 300 beneficiaries, thanks to a donation by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. ALSO READ: Disabled people in Musina lack adequate housing The church handed over a variety of assistive devices worth more R5.4 million that will be rolled out to the […]

Sean Clarke (28), a multi-talented para-athlete from Craighall Park, Johannesburg, is an inspiring individual who overcame a severe injury at the age of 7 that resulted in the loss of use of his left leg. Despite being classified as disabled, Sean’s determined spirit and passion for sports led him to refuse to let his injury […]

In 2016, Nika Du Toit (36), Acting Deputy Principal at Hope School in Westcliff, Johannesburg, met Katlego Legotlo (22), a charming student with a beaming smile, who had been diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at only 6 months old. Despite his challenges, Katlego was a dedicated student who achieved 3 distinctions in his matric year, which was […]