What do Joey Burke, a passionate and enthusiastic auctioneer, Alan Committie, one of the hardest working and funniest comics in South Africa, Zolani Mahola – the one who sings – story teller extraordinaire and various charitable organisations, professionals and business-savvy people who are all able to contribute their particular knowledge and skillsets have in common?
Quick Answer: COURAGE!
Originally founded to support the Hout Bay communities of Imizamo Yethu and Hangberg, COURAGE is a collaborative effort of many foundations, NGOs and charities including the Natural Selection Conservation Fund and the Singita Lowveld Trust. We are focused and determined to reach a goal of R30 million. By September of this year, which will allow the organisation to protect communities through to the end of the South African winter and what is hoped will be past the COVID-19 curve in sub-Saharan Africa.
On June 16 2020, Youth Day, The Courage Initiative significantly boosted our coffers thanks to the extraordinary generosity received from the virtual live auction. A covetable collection of truly bucket list holiday and epicurean auction lots plus other lavish items including fine works of art, jewelry and even a bespoke Vespa were donated by tourism and luxury brand benefactors who were determined to make a significant difference for the greater good.
Hosted by dynamic auctioneer Joey Burke who masterfully captained the virtual auction along with funny man Alan Committie and performer Zolani Mahola, the veritable call to arms garnered R2,655,992.00. To add to this impressive number a further R265,000 was donated thanks to the raffle of a limited edition Ducati bike making the grand total of R2, 920, 992.00
Since launching in April of this year to assist vulnerable families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent economically devastating lockdown, we have managed to now raise just short of R12 million in only twelve (12) weeks.
That’s a million per week! The crisis management initiative is not only raising significant funds, it is also managing a centralised, accountable food supply chain system, with a volunteer model that has proved it is sustainable and can last beyond the current COVID-19 crisis. Its archetype is one that can easily be rolled out in other suburbs across South Africa and COURAGE is hoping that this successful model will encourage others around the country – as well as into Africa – to do the same within their respective communities.
OUR COLLABORATORS
The COURAGE Virtual Auction was a collobarative effort between a league of NGOs, charities and other not for profit organisations. These include:
- Afrika Tikkun
- Amoyo Performing Arts Foundation
- Bright Start Education Support Programme
- Community Cook Up
- Gracie Love in a Bowl
- Hout Bay Football Club
- Ikamva Labantu Charitable Trust
- Ladles of Love
- Lalela
- Lapala Feeding Scheme
- Natural Selection Conservation Fund
- Singita Lowveld Trust
- The Underdog Project
- Ubunthu Pathways
- Zip Zap Circus School
Or Via Snapscan below
BID FOR GOOD ON THE COURAGE ONLINE AUCTION
We’ve significantly boosted our
coffers thanks to the extraordinary generosity received from the recently hosted
virtual live auction held on Youth Day, June 16 th .