Marvel and Malunghelo started with just R700 and a second-hand computer. Today, they’ve created Novar, a learning app that’s been downloaded thousands of times… and now Liberty has joined the mission.
Johannesburg, South Africa (22 July 2025) – What started with R700 and a second-hand computer has now sparked a nationwide movement of hope and support.
On this week’s Good Things with Brent Lindeque, I got to chat to Marvel Shibambu and Malunghelo Mathonsi, two young innovators from a village in Limpopo who taught themselves to code and built NOVAR, a learning app designed to help high school learners across South Africa.
Think social media… but for education.
In May, we told you the story about two young men from a rural village in Limpopo, who went viral after creating an education App called Novar. They launched the app using their own savings and sheer determination. No training. No fancy laptops. Just passion and purpose. Their story went viral after Cool Story Bru posted about them on TikTok, and South Africans responded in true rainbow-nation fashion, donating over R160,000 through crowdfunding.
Then, the journey levelled up in a major way. Liberty’s #DriveHope initiative stepped in with a R1 million investment to help fund NOVAR and to support it with mentorship, office space, tech equipment and so much more.
“A key purpose of Liberty is to uplift communities and support local innovators,” says a Liberty spokesperson, Rindy Janse Van Rensburg. “Marvel and Malunghelo are shining examples of South African grit and creativity. Through #DriveHope we are thrilled to empower their vision for NOVAR. This is more than just a donation, we are offering mentorship and long-term partnership to ensure their success.”
And they truly do. Liberty even gifted Marvel’s sisters’ phones to access the app, and bought books for Malunghelo’s daughter after learning she loves to read. That’s what #DriveHope is all about, real people helping real people.
That’s the story we told you but what we didn’t tell you is that one of them, Malunghelo, came from a child-headed home. After his mother passed away, Malu spent his childhood looking after his siblings. He was just 8 years old. And Marvel, the other founder, had been homeless since the beginning of the year, sometimes not eating or bathing for days.
Now, the two of them have a business and a backing that is fueling their dreams and creating something that will revolutionise education in South Africa (and maybe the world).
“We are not just improving on education, we are reinventing it,” the team explain.
Watch the exclusive interview here:
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