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Giving something back

Last updated on 10th August 2009

Anyone who has spent any time in the Cederberg will be aware that many of the people living on the farms are substantially less fortunate than us - but the real tragedy is that the kids are unlikely to live better lives than their parents. The idea to do something to actively help the situation came from American climbers Sarah Marvez and Chuck Fryberger, who raised about R20,000 in the USA that they donated to the Elizabethfontein Primary School near Travelers Rest.

This school specifically focuses on assisting disadvantaged kids from the farms, and they don't charge any fees because of the circumstances of the parents. Many of the kids stay in the school hostel during the week because they live too far away to travel to school each day. Whilst the hostel means that the kids can actually get to school each day, it also increases the cost of running the school.

The concept here is that climbers help these kids by donating food, clothing and/or cash. We are not expecting anyone to make a huge contribution on their own, but just think of the impact of several hundred climbers each donating a tee-shirt, a box of jungle oats and R20 in small change!!

Whether you're going back to Cape Town, Colorado or Copenhagen your donation really will make a difference and there is now a collection box at the campsite at De Pakhuys where you can leave any clothes or food that you no longer need. There is also a cash box where you can donate the change left in your wallet (for larger cash donations please speak to me or Thys and we'll send you the schools bank account for you to deposit the money).

Fortunately Karen Kruger, the much better half of Thys Kruger the owner of De Pakhuys, is a teacher at the school. This means that your donations really will get to the people for whom they are intended!!

If you have any questions, please contact me and remember that the only way that this will work is if we establish a culture of climbers giving. That means that we need you do donate something next time that you're there and that you really encourage your mates to do the same.

Guy Holwill

August 2009