Brimstone provides necessary backing
NGOS often struggle with funding, which is where BEST fits in
In many spheres of social development, once-off donations simply don’t do the job when it comes to sustaining the work in which NGOS place most of their resources. While no donation is wasted, it stands to reason that a sustained approach to giving allows for confident, forward-thinking strategies to be put in place to ensure the kind of compound growth that can change lives in the long term.
Anyone who’s suffered financial hardship can attest to the distracting nature of persistent financial worries, and this is also the case for an organisation. For those trying to run an NGO, fundraising can be a time-consuming and emotionally taxing aspect of the operation, draining resources that could otherwise be used to putting social solutions into place. This becomes more apparent as an organisation grows: hoping day to day for the goodwill of donors can work to keep a small charitable project up and running, but a significant investment is needed to acquire a forwardlooking resource.
An excellent example is Buhle Farmers’ Academy, where those new to the agricultural sector can obtain the support they need to begin a self-sustaining enterprise. It goes without saying that the outlay needed to start farming is a substantial one: equipment is needed, and for some the purchase of livestock and various other investments is necessary. By its very nature, farming is an expensive business, and for those literally reaping what they sow, there’s no option to skimp while starting out in agriculture.
When asked about what makes Buhle’s services so important, executive director Zamo Shongwe explains that those they support are often not viable candidates for more conventional credit applications: while they show high potential in the agricultural sector, they may not have the collateral or credit record needed to borrow from a bank, and it’s here that sustained support comes in. The revenue gained from Buhle’s Brimstone shares allotted by BEST (Brimstone Empowerment Share Trust) will be used to provide the longterm support to allow new farmers not only vital initial support for their enterprises, but also the resources needed to make it through each stage of development to become a self-supporting success.
Speaking on behalf of the Sozo Foundation, finance manager Kate Morton explains why this organisation is another beneficiary of BEST that has seen dividends in various areas. Having their Brimstone shares listed among their assets has lent extra credence to the foundation and allowed them to attract additional investment as BEST’S confidence in their work serves as a shorthand signifier for their value. In addition, Morton says that the organisation has benefitted from networking and workshop events facilitated by the trust. In turn, these opportunities have led to increased awareness about the foundation, and long-term investments from varied sources that might otherwise not have been aware of their work.
For the team behind Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA), a longterm approach to changing the way South Africa’s legal processes deal with cases of domestic violence and child abuse, has led not only to wins in individual cases, but also to new legislation that better understands victims’ realities. Executive director Kevin Barbeau points to the recent success of lobby groups to bring about a significant change in South African law affecting survivors of sexual assault: in 2017, laws changed to scrap the statute of limitations that previously existed against the reporting of sexual crimes more than 20 years after the incident occurred.
Hailed as a momentous victory for activism in a country plagued by sexual abuse against women and children, the High Court ruling allows survivors to pursue justice at any time, and was requested by the eight victims of now-deceased billionaire stockbroker Sidney Frankel. WMACA were vocal and persistent in protesting a law that appeared to dismiss the experiences of survivors who were long afraid or ashamed to share their stories — it’s this persistence that paid off, and it demonstrates the importance of empowering activist organisations to maintain their unfaltering positions.