Wits 'Hooligans' fundraising rally
- By Deborah Minors
A media student, an environmentalist, a psychologist and a writer clamber into an old Volvo station wagon. They are all Witsies and they are all women. These ‘Neighbour Hooligans’ will traverse southern Africa over 17 days in order to fund-raise for Project Rhino and for school shoes for children in Botswana and Namibia.
The Neighbour Hooligans are Masters students Robyn van Jaarsveldt (BA 2010, BA Hons (Media Studies) 2011) and Sarah Findlay (BSc 2010, BSc Hons (Environmental Science) 2011) and alumnae Karselle Moodley (BA 2010, BA Hons (Psychology) 2011) and Deborah Haselau (BA 2010, BA Hons (English) 2011).
“As Team Neighbour Hooligans, our primary objective is demonstrate the ease with which travelling in Africa can be achieved, particularly as a group of young women,” Findlay told The Edge. “While we acknowledge the high likelihood of car breakdowns, petrol shortages and sunburn, we hope to show that through team work, resourceful improvisation and a good sense of humour, southern Africa can provide the adventure of a lifetime.”
The team are one of 60 competing in the 2012 PutFoot Rally, a social initaitive that aims to raise awareness of African social issues. This year teams will negotiate 7 000km, from 20 June and 6 July, through South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique.
Apart from daily check-ins at designated stations, teams operate alone and need to be entirely self-sufficient.
“We hope to show that as women we can do anything men can do, even when faced with continuous camping and vehicle technicalities!” says Findlay.
The Neighbour Hooligans invite sponsors and donors to contribute towards the R50 000 Rally costs. The balance of funds raised will buy shoes for children in two schools in Botswana and Namibia, and provide an anti-poaching unit for a year in KwaZulu-Natal.
“We intend to fulfil PutFoot’s intentions of giving back to Africa by raising as much money as we can for the PutFoot Foundation,” adds van Jaarsveldt. “Our feisty team has organised various fundraising events and activities. We will also be relying on the goodwill of donors to help us attain our goal.”
Details: Robyn van Jaarsveldt: neighbourhooligans@gmail.com