Our Story

The journey of DreamBIG began in 2019, when Johan Olivier found himself unexpectedly serving on the School Board Council of a local primary school. With no formal responsibility, he was asked to help raise funds. What seemed like a small task quickly revealed a bigger challenge: traditional school fundraisers often felt endless, lacked focus, and placed heavy burdens on parents. Johan decided to rethink the model.

Through careful investigation, he identified three principles that would become the backbone of DreamBIG's philosophy:

• Every fundraiser needs a clear cause – parents respond when they know exactly what their contributions will achieve.
• Partnerships with external businesses – schools thrive when businesses engage openly and fairly, offering products and services that add value to the community.
• No-risk opportunities for schools – fundraising should never drain existing cashflow; instead, it must generate income without financial exposure.

With these principles in hand, Johan piloted the DreamBIG model at three schools: Laerskool Kenmare, Laerskool Roodekrans, and Silverfields Primary. The results were immediate and inspiring. Parents embraced the clarity of the cause, businesses saw the benefit of community engagement, and schools raised funds without risk.

From those first pilots, DreamBIG grew rapidly. Within just two years, more than 120 schools nationally had adopted the model. One standout success was Laerskool Mooirivier, which raised R250,000 in less than 10 days. Another remarkable story came from a learner at Hoërskool Nelspruit, who personally sold more than 120 booklets on his own. These outcomes proved that the system was not only effective but also empowering for students, parents, and schools alike.

The secret lay in the simplicity: beautifully designed booklets filled with real value, offered at just R200. Parents saw genuine benefit, businesses gained exposure and goodwill, and schools received a reliable budget contributor. It was a true win–win–win.

Today, DreamBIG continues to build on this foundation. What started as one man's effort to solve a fundraising challenge has become a national movement – helping schools raise funds with clarity, fairness, and confidence, while strengthening the bond between communities and education.

Our Mission

To connect schools, families and businesses through voucher-based fundraising that creates genuine value for communities and meaningful additional funds for schools.

Our Vision

“To expand opportunities for South African schools by connecting education, communities, and businesses through valuable fundraising partnerships.”