Eastern Cape-born Lakiwe Blekiwe is flipping the birthday script. No parties. No presents. Just purpose. This is her 30 for 30.
South Africa (28 July 2025) – Most people turning 30 might plan a party, book a getaway, or drop hints about that pair of shoes they’ve been eyeing. But not Lakiwe Blekiwe.
The Eastern Cape-born changemaker and Head of Charities at BackaBuddy has decided to do something different, something deeply meaningful, to mark her milestone birthday on 25 November. Instead of gifts, balloons or cake, Lakiwe wants to raise R30,000 to support two communities close to her heart. The campaign is aptly called “30 for 30”, and it’s already spreading warmth far beyond birthday candles.
“To celebrate this milestone, I’m not throwing a big party or spoiling myself with gifts,” Lakiwe says.
“Instead, I want to give back in a meaningful way by raising R30,000 to support two causes close to my heart.”
The first cause is a soup kitchen run by Sis Nonny Mda from Ikhaya Lethu Organisation, based in the Promiseland Informal Settlement in Gauteng. Sis Nonny, a domestic worker by day, somehow still finds the energy and love to cook hot meals for children every Saturday. Her dream is to host a proper Christmas celebration, full of joy, food, and festive magic, for the kids she feeds so faithfully.
The second half of the funds will go toward Lakiwe’s hometown in the Eastern Cape, where she wants to provide groceries and dignity to 10 underprivileged families. Her motivation is personal.
“I grew up in poverty, and I know what it feels like to go to bed hungry… to watch other families have a festive Christmas while your home stays silent, empty, and cold,” she shares. “I want this December to be different — for those children and for those 7 households.”
So far, R3,260 has already been raised… and while that number might seem small compared to the R30,000 goal, the real magic lies in the number of people who have donated. Ten rand. Twenty rand. Fifty rand. The kind of donations that prove just how powerful “small” can be when it’s shared with love.
“This isn’t just about me turning 30, it’s about reminding people that giving, even a little, can change everything,” she says.
Lakiwe’s campaign is a celebration of hope. A reminder that joy multiplies when shared. And proof that kindness doesn’t require wealth… just heart.
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Her birthday is on 25 November. Let’s help her reach the goal by then. Let’s show what South Africans can do… together.
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