Better SA launched: the Uber of the volunteer world

By registering on their website and booking a spot on one of their busses, volunteers can be picked up from a "bus hub" and taken to a charity where they will spend 90 minutes doing volunteer activities.

"We're making volunteering as easy and rewarding as possible," said Better SA Founder and Managing Director Roberta Donovan. "The service is free of charge, and once you're done, the Better SA bus will drop you back at your car. It's that easy. Better SA is the Uber of the volunteer world."

Donovan started the official launch with an introduction to the NGO and spoke about their beneficiaries and the impact Better SA has on them. One of their main beneficiaries is the African Children's Feeding Scheme (ACFS) in Alexandra.

Soon after the address, media hopped-on Better SA's busses and departed to Alexandra for a volunteer experience. Celebrity Carol Tshabalala was among the special guests as well as representatives from the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Phindile Hlalele, Director of the ACFS.

Changing lives

"I had to pinch myself when I saw all the media who turned up to try out our hop-on hop-off volunteer bus experience," said Donovan. "However, the most touching moment of the day was chatting to Sheila Ramofolo, a Head of Department from Ithute Primary in Alexandra, who said she has seen an improvement in the children in her class, many of whom are part of our Saturday morning classes we run. That's what this is all about. Changing lives."

Hlalele says, "The education of our children is the first priority and having volunteers to run with that aspect, will lead to a healthy society that will break the cycle of poverty."

Donovan has now also announced an official partnership with mobile giant Vodacom SA, "We thank them for all the support they have offered and know that together we can really revolutionise the world of volunteering."

"Better SA is an incredible volunteering initiative that closes the gap between people who want to donate their time and the good that needs to be done in South Africa. The experience is eye-opening, inspiring and yet saddening at the same time. Exactly the kind of wake up people need, to realise how much needs to be done and how easy it is to do through BetterSA," said Food & Home Digital Editor Chevaun Roux.

Johannesburg is the first city that the service is active in. There are three Better SA bus hubs for volunteers to use at Illovo, Broadacres and Roodepoort, with the first service commencing on Saturday, 7 March from 9am to 11.30am.