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When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa called on citizens to make a difference during the COVID-19 pandemic, three students from Stellenbosch University (SU) heeded the call.

Stefan Stofberg and brothers Daneel and Stephan Steinmann started the All in Africa movement to help make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, while also providing various sport fans with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of winning unique memorabilia from South African athletes.

“We saw the 'All in Challenge' in America and we thought, why not take that idea, give it a South African flavour and raise money in our own country? Due to the lockdown restrictions imposed on countries worldwide, we realised that there is a huge potential for creating value online through social media platforms. So we decided to make use of this opportunity to leverage the online potential to make a difference by starting the All in Africa challenge," says Daneel.

As a non-profit organisation, the All in Africa movement gives local celebrities, public figures and sport stars the opportunity to contribute memorabilia or other items of their choice and, in some cases, offer a personal experience with them, which can be won by a member of the public by donating.

A R100 donation gives the person donating one chance of winning the specific item or experience. The more people donate, the more entries they will receive and the more people can be beneficiaries of the funds raised, which are used to distribute food parcels to various communities.

To date, the movement has raised R93 000 with the help of celebrities and sport stars like AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Siya Kolisi, Handré Pollard, Pieter Steph du Toit, Willie le Roux and Bobby and Karlien van Jaarsveld.

“This pandemic has taught me the true meaning of the saying: 'If there is a will, there's a way.' No matter what your circumstances are, if you deep-down really want to achieve something, you can. It has taught me to take action and be the difference I would like to see in the world," says Stephan.

The movement has partnered with charities like the Hillsong Africa Foundation, Kolisi Foundation, Hanna Charity & Empowerment Foundation and the Hey! Help! A light in the World Foundation, who will use the funds raised to distribute food parcels to the communities they serve.

Despite also having to balance academic responsibilities at SU, Stephan says the pandemic has given him time to reflect on how insignificant some of his own challenges are compared to the poverty, hunger and daily struggle for survival that some people are facing.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has given me time to reflect on my current situation and made me realise how privileged I am. This realisation has further encouraged me to strive for more during this time and to not only focus on my academic responsibilities but to help those in need during this crisis."

To be All in for Africa you can go to the website, www.allinafrica.co.za to donate and stand a chance of winning the item or experience of your choice. Business owners who would like to donate something to the movement can contact the movement via email at info@allinafrica.co.za.