A big thank you to the 28 497 South Africans who cast their vote in this year’s MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet Vote4Charity survey to support their favourite charity. This is a nearly 300% increase in number of votes since 2012, when 7 223 South Africans participated in the survey. Significantly, whereas in 2012 nearly 80% of the top 10 charities where focused on animal welfare, this time around 54% of votes cast went towards a MyVillage beneficiary – charities that help people – and 46% of votes went towards a MyPlanet beneficiary – charities supporting animals and the environment.
CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation SA, a MyVillage beneficiary, received the most votes, followed by the Animal Cruelty League CT in second place and the Sunflower Fund, Endangered Wildlife Trust and SA Guide-Dogs Association coming in third, fourth and fifth respectively.
The survey has provided great insights into the kind of charities that South Africans in the different provinces love to support.
Provinces differ in their allegiance to MyVillage and MyPlanet charities, with more than 60% of Gauteng votes going towards Village charities supporting children. In the Western Cape only 30% of the votes went towards Village charities with nearly 70% of all votes going towards MyPlanet charities supporting animals and the environment. In Kwzulu Natal only two MyPlanet charities made it into the Top10, with 69,5% of votes going towards MyVillage charities. In the Eastern Cape votes were aligned to the Western Cape with just over 73% of votes going towards MyPlanet charities supporting animals and the environment.
CHOC, who were elected as the favourite charity nationally in this year’s Vote4Charity survey have won R50 000 cash from MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet towards the amazing work they do supporting children with cancer and their families. ‘We are so grateful to everyone who voted for us. The prize money will go towards practical support in terms of housing and transporting children and parents, other services such as psycho-social, our support of the paediatric oncology units and of the South African Childhood Cancer Study Group, as well as our early warning signs awareness campaign,’ says Deidre May, the Communications Manager for CHOC.
The runner-up, Animal Cruelty League CT, receives R20 000 and 3^rd (Sunflower Fund), 4^th (Endangered Wildlife Trust) and 5^th (SA Guide-Dogs Association) place win R10 000 each.