How the money moves
Most people who need help don't need a big campaign. They need this month's electricity, a food parcel, or the last of the school fees. The Helping Hand lets people in South Africa and abroad pay those bills directly, with a local organisation checking every need.
From your gift to a paid bill
- 1
You give in rand
Through PayFast, with Visa or Mastercard from anywhere, Instant EFT, or other South African options. Gifts start at R100, unless the bill needs less to be paid.
- 2
The money is held by a registered NPO
An established South African NPO holds every gift. Nobody's personal account is involved.
- 3
The partner gets the money
Once a bill is fully funded, the payout starts within two working days and usually reaches the partner within three to four working days.
- 4
The bill is paid
The partner loads the electricity, pays the school or pharmacy, or buys the food parcel. Most bills are paid within a week of being fully funded.
- 5
You get the receipt
The partner uploads it within 14 days, and you can open it from your account.
What you see once the bill is paid
Within 14 days of the money reaching them, the partner pays the bill and uploads the proof: a till slip, the electricity token or the payment confirmation from the school or pharmacy.
The bill is then stamped PAID, and everyone who helped can open the receipt from the bill's page or from My help.
Receipts are only shown to the people who gave to that bill, the partner and our admins, never to the public, because they can show meter numbers and account details.
NELSON MANDELA BAY
PREPAID ELECTRICITY
Tax invoice
- Date
- 14 Oct 2026 10:42
- Meter
- •••• ••• 5210
- Amount
- R450.00
- VAT incl.
- R58.70
- Units
- 155.2 kWh
TOKEN
4821 •••• •••• •••• 0937
Pay the bill, not the person
Money never goes to a personal bank account. It goes to the payee on the bill: a prepaid electricity meter, a school, a pharmacy, or food bought by the partner. That leaves nothing to gain from a made-up story.
Limits on every case
- Prepaid electricityup to R1 000
- Food parcelup to R1 500
- School feesup to R3 000
- Medicineup to R1 200
- Each person can have one open case at a time, and waits 30 days after a case closes before another.
- The same prepaid meter or learner number can only be helped once every 45 days, whichever partner submits it. That stops one household being put forward twice under different names.
- A bill can never be funded beyond what it needs.
Food parcels, not vouchers
Vouchers can be sold for cash, so partners buy the food themselves, hand over the parcel, and upload the itemised till slip.
Privacy and consent
Partners ask permission for every case. When a story mentions children, their parent or guardian must agree. We never store ID documents, surnames, street addresses or photos of families, and receipts are only visible to the people who helped pay that bill.
Checks on partners
Partners are registered NPOs, churches and community groups whose registration we check. New partners can add 5 cases a month, rising as they show receipts on time and dropping when receipts are late. A partner with no proof of payment 30 days after receiving money is taken off the platform. Receipts that have been used before are caught automatically, and 3 reports from donors pause a case until we review it. More about partners
Questions
Why can't I just send money to the family?
Cash can be spent on anything, and it puts people at risk if others know they have it. Paying the bill directly means your gift does exactly what it says, and there's nothing to gain from a made-up story.
Can I give if I don't live in South Africa?
Yes. Anyone with a Visa or Mastercard can give. Gifts are in rand because every bill is paid in South Africa through a registered South African NPO; your own bank converts the amount.
Does all of my gift reach the bill?
Yes. The payment provider (PayFast) charges a small fee on each card or EFT payment. We add that fee on top of your gift and show it before you pay, so the full amount you choose reaches the bill.
Can I get a tax certificate?
Only if the NPO that holds the money has Section 18A approval. We'll confirm this before launch.
What if the bill isn't paid?
Partners must upload the receipt within 14 days of receiving the money. Late receipts lower how many cases that partner can add. If there's still no proof after 30 days, the partner is taken off the platform and their open cases are paused while we investigate. You can also report any case that looks wrong.
Why can't I see the family's surname or photo?
To protect their privacy and dignity. You see a first name or nickname, the area, the household size and their story, shared with their permission. The partner who visited them keeps the rest.