If the worst were to happen, how would you like to be remembered?
Millions of South Africans want to keep making the world a better place for their children and grandchildren after they have passed on, and for charities, legacy bequests can be an important source of income.
Even so, not many people know there are different options to continue supporting the causes you care about after you’re gone – and even memorialise a loved one through generosity.
Leave a will
One popular way to support your favourite charity after you’re gone is to leave them money in your will. Some South African charities will even provide premade codicil forms that you can fill in. However, they face an uphill battle – according to the Master’s Office, 70% of South Africans do not have a will.
It’s also not without risk. Leaving money to charity can be contentious with family members if they stand to lose out. For non-profits, this can create legal headaches and costs, especially if the will is later contested in court.
While it can be a difficult conversation, why not take some time this month to discuss legacies with your loved ones, getting their buy-in to leave a charitable bequest rather than leave them with a potentially unwelcome surprise?
Even if they don’t want to leave money to charity, having any inheritance plan in place can provide security for future generations – and getting everyone on the same page now can prevent disputes later.
The power of online fundraising
Leaving a lump sum in your will isn’t the only way to create a life-changing legacy – and according to Jannie Smith, Regional Manager – Sub-Saharan Africa at online fundraising platform GivenGain, it might not even be the most powerful.
“Setting up a fundraising project in honour of someone who has passed away is getting more and more popular. Not everyone can leave money to charity, but fundraisers can always make a difference by creating an online fundraising project and sharing it far any wide.”
“When you open an online fundraising project, you can build that legacy by opening it up to donors and fundraisers around the world. It can even become an annual activity. The charity benefits too, because you’re spreading their message further.”
“And in the end, it’s not just about raising money for charity. It’s about celebrating your loved one’s life and the causes they cared about.”
Donations or a collection at the end of (or at) a funeral or wake is customary in many traditions. However, this places a burden on the family of the deceased having to collect the money and make the donation to the charity at a time when they themselves have other things to worry about.
In contrast, by moving the process online, mourners can simply donate in their own time. There are no borders to cross, no pandemic restrictions – anyone who ever crossed paths with the deceased can easily leave an anecdote and a memory to the benefit of all, while also creating minimal admin for the charity.
Celebrating lives, building legacies
Smith says that GivenGain has hosted many successful legacy fundraising campaigns, and that the global nature of the platform means that fundraisers get support not only from friends and family but from wellwishers around the world.
When wildlife ranger Anton Mzimba was killed in the line of duty in July, the Timbavati Private Nature Reserve where he worked set up a fundraising project on GivenGain to support his family and train future rangers. To date the fund has raised more than R365 000, with donations coming in from supporters as far away as the United States and Australia.
Individual fundraisers have also launched brilliant fundraising campaigns, like Yolandi Laubscher who is running the IRONMAN for Nature next year in memory of her father. With more than four months to go until the race, she has already raised R3 700 for Wilderness Foundation Africa – and is targeting R19 500 by race day.
The results speak for themselves but setting up a fundraising project in memory of a loved one actually takes very little effort. Once you’ve created your free fundraiser account on GivenGain, it only takes a few clicks to choose a charity to fundraise for and start sharing your project with the world – and with more than 5,000 registered charities to choose from, it’s easy to find a cause that your loved one would have wanted to support.
To create your free fundraising project on GivenGain, visit the GivenGain website.
