Josina Machel, Zelda le Grange, Carolyn Steyn and Robyn Farrell: ready to ride for Madiba! All images courtesy of Debbie Yazbek.
On 11 July 2014, Zelda la Grange, DJ Fresh, Saint Seseli, Angie Khumalo, Anele Mdoda, Alex Caige, Clint Cunningham and Johrne van Huyssteen will don helmets to take part in another Bikers for Mandela Day event.
Bikers for Mandela Day is one of the many activities taking place under the umbrella of the broader Mandela Day campaign.
1st for Women Insurance, via its charitable trust, the 1st for Women Foundation, will once again be supporting the group of bikers on their 2014 Bikers for Mandela Day journey.
Dj Fresh is a Biker for Mandela Day.
According to Zelda la Grange, Madiba’s former assistant and the Patron of the 1st for Women Foundation, “In South Africa, violence against women continues, unabated. With this in mind, we have dedicated our 2014 journey to the survivors of gender-based violence. We want to encourage more women to speak out, to take action, to follow through so that their perpetrators can be brought to book.”
The bikers participating in the initiative will support organisations that assist survivors of gender based violence and rape in Diepsloot, Vryburg, Kimberley and Bloemfontein.
“Since 2005, the 1st for Women Foundation has donated over R30 million to a number of women-related charity organisations that focus on gender-based violence and cervical cancer. Thanks to our customers who automatically donate a portion of their monthly insurance premium to the 1st for Women Foundation, we have managed to help over 150 000 survivors of gender-based violence through public advocacy training, community dialogues and workshops. Bikers for Mandela Day is another way for us to give back, to illustrate the collective power of women and to make a tangible difference,” says Robyn Farrell, Executive Head of 1st for Women Insurance.
The Bikers for Mandela Day set off on their journey from the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
On 11 July 2014, the biker team will depart from 1st for Women’s head office in Fourways and head for Diepsloot. There, they will partner with the founder of 67 Blankets for Nelson Mandela Day, Carolyn Steyn, and Afrika Tikkun, an organisation that is dedicated to investing in education, health and social services for children, youth and their families through its community centres of excellence and strategic partnerships. At Afrika Tikkun, the team will distribute hand-made blankets to 67 Diepsloot-based beneficiaries.
From Diepsloot, the team will head to the Caritas Community Focus organisation in Vryburg. There, the team will spend 67 minutes packing rape survivor care kits and painting the organisation’s contact details on a wall. The 1st for Women Foundation will also hand over a cheque for R100 000 to Caritas Community Focus. This organisation is dedicated to ensuring the well-being of those affected by poverty, drug abuse and domestic violence.
Zelda la Grange briefs the Bikers for Mandela Day.
On 12 July 2014, the bikers will travel to Kimberley and, for 67 minutes, spend time packing rape survivor care kits at the Grace Divine Outreach Centre. The 1st for Women Foundation will also hand over a cheque for R100 000 to the Centre. The Outreach Centre provides short-term safe house accommodation for rape survivors and offers the survivors counselling, court preparation and support, HIV testing and counselling and aftercare services in association with the Galeshewe Thuthuzela Care Centre.
On 13 July 2014, the team will assist Bloem Shelter in Bloemfontein. This shelter cares for 90 to 100 homeless persons daily and provides accommodation for babies, pregnant women, children, families, single women, the elderly and men. The reasons why people are taken to Bloem Shelter include abuse, addiction, financial difficulties, mental problems and human trafficking. At this organisation, the bikers will spend 67 minutes building a jungle gym, as well as helping with painting at the Shelter. The 1st for Women Foundation will also hand over a cheque for R100 000 to the Shelter.
“We encourage all South Africans to make every day a Mandela Day. There are so many simple ways we can do this and the great thing is that it doesn’t necessarily have to cost a cent. Acts of kindness like volunteering at your local charity organisation or reading to those that can’t – it all counts,” says la Grange.
* In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 18 July Nelson Mandela International Day. This Day is dedicated to honouring Nelson Mandela’s commitment to human rights, conflict resolution and reconciliation.
For more information please contact:
Altus Venables
Mobile: 079 632 9852
E-mail: Altusheart@iburst.co.za