The Power of Many: How Crowdfunding Is Helping South Africans Help One Another
Crowdfunding is helping South Africans fund education, medical care, community projects and more, proving the power of collective generosity.
South Africa (09 June 2026) – There is an African proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
Few modern tools embody that sentiment quite like crowdfunding.
Over the past decade, crowdfunding has quietly transformed the way South Africans support one another. What was once an unfamiliar concept has become a powerful force for good, helping students stay in university, families navigate medical crises, communities rebuild after disasters, entrepreneurs launch businesses, and charities expand their impact.
At its heart, crowdfunding is simple. One person has a need, a dream or a challenge. They tell their story and invite others to become part of it.
Sometimes that support comes from family and friends. Other times, it comes from complete strangers who are moved by a cause and decide to contribute what they can. Individually, each donation may seem small. Together, they can change the course of a life.
In a country where many people face barriers to accessing traditional forms of funding, crowdfunding has created a new pathway.
It allows communities to rally around one another in moments of need while creating opportunities that may otherwise never have existed.
For The Helpers, the appeal of crowdfunding goes beyond the money raised. It reflects something deeper about human nature.
Every successful campaign represents dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people choosing to care about someone else’s story.
Of course, not all crowdfunding platforms operate in the same way. Some focus on charitable causes, others specialise in education, creative projects, sporting challenges or business ventures. Each offers a different approach, and anyone considering crowdfunding should take time to research fee structures, payment schedules and available support before choosing a platform.
For those looking to explore their options, here are some of the crowdfunding platforms available to South Africans:
BackaBuddy
Founded in 2015, BackaBuddy offers a crowdfunding space for individuals and causes throughout Africa. Based in South Africa, the platform is catered to local support.
Website: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/
Different.org
Different was founded to support South African non-profit projects access support from the public, enabling them to access 100% of donated funds.
Website: https://different.org
Feenix
Founded in 2017, Feenix assists students in crowdfunding their tertiary education costs, helping them register, graduate and continue their studies.
Website: https://feenix.org
Fundnation
Fundnation provides charitable causes with a range of crowdfunding services tailored to the needs of individual campaigns.
Website: https://fundnation.org/website/
GivenGain
Founded in Stellenbosch in 2001, GivenGain works with registered charities in more than 100 countries around the world.
Website: https://www.givengain.com
Jumpstarter
Jumpstarter focuses on helping campaigns reach their full funding targets, only releasing funds when goals have been met.
Website: https://jumpstarter.co.za
Sports for Lives
Sports for Lives enables individuals to raise funds for causes they care about through sporting endeavours and challenges.
Website: https://sportforlives.org
Thundafund
Thundafund supports businesses, creative projects, innovations and entrepreneurial ventures through crowdfunding.
Website: https://thundafund.africa
Quicket Fundraising
Quicket’s fundraising platform allows organisers to use events as a mechanism for raising funds for charitable causes.
Website: https://www.quicket.co.za
The growth of crowdfunding in South Africa offers a powerful reminder that generosity has not disappeared in an increasingly digital world. If anything, technology has simply created new ways for people to find one another, share their stories and offer support.
Every campaign may begin with a single person asking for help, but the most successful ones reveal something far bigger: what becomes possible when a community answers that call.
PS: If we’ve missed any crowdfunding platforms, we’d love to hear from you. Drop us an email at admin@thehelpers.co.za.
The Helpers is a growing space built on connection, care and the belief that help should never be hard to find. It exists to link people who need support with organisations doing the work, and to guide those who want to help towards causes that matter most to them.
This platform is proudly powered by Good Things Guy, a community that has spent the last decade sharing stories of hope, resilience, and the everyday heroes quietly making South Africa a better place.
The Helpers is sponsored by Druff Interactive, whose support and belief helped turn a much-needed idea into a platform designed to genuinely make a difference.
If you have questions, suggestions, organisations to recommend or simply want to get in touch, you’re always welcome to reach the team at admin@thehelpers.co.za.
To learn more about why The Helpers exists and how it came to life, listen to the special launch episode of the Good Things Guy Podcast, here, where the story behind the platform is shared in full.
