Pretoria women conquer 1 545km walk for children
The group aimed to raise R5-million in total for their chosen charity.
A group of six brave women from Dynamic Women for Children NPO in the north of Pretoria recently conquered a 1 545km journey walking from Vereeniging to Cape Town in just 21 days.
These women set out on this challenging yet memorable task referred to as Cape2Care project to raise funds for their NPO, which supports 50 underprivileged children in Kameeldrift and Kameelfontein.
The fearless women set off on January 27, arriving in Cape Agulhas on February 16.
NPO managing director Marleen van der Walt (55) said this is a fundraising project for 2024 to raise R5-million.
“We aimed to raise funds for Dynamic Women for Children (DWFC). Our aim was to walk approximately 70 to 80km a day for 21 days, with a total of 1 545km to raise R5-million, this would equate to about R3 250/km,” Van der Walt said.
DWFC was founded to create a safe space for underprivileged children, especially in informal settlements to receive a decent cooked meal, do their homework, play and be looked after.
“But we soon realised that only one meal a day is not enough. The children need breakfast to be able to work to their full potential at school as well as a meal before they go home, as most of the time there are insufficient food supplies at home.
“Financial independence will give DWFC the opportunity to operate to its full potential and register as well as make its hostel fully functional,” Van der Walt said.
She said the journey wasn’t all rosy.
“The hardest part of the walk was definitely the extreme heat in the Karoo. For two days the temperature was between 40 and 45º C. The strong winds also made it difficult to walk, but we conquered every challenge as we thought of our children at DWFC, we kept going so that they could have a better life.
Mentally you have to be strong, keeping the goal in mind, remembering that you walk for the children. Every step, is a step for a child’s future, to inspire and bring hope,” she said.
She said the women were blessed to have sponsors along the way in different towns, to offer them overnight accommodation and a meal.
Van der Walt said she was inspired by the opportunity to bring change and the journey went by fast, yet the impact on her life was lasting and immense.
“I wish that we can keep on walking, sharing this journey with more and more children, people and communities and eventually we can establish suitable centres for more children.
I have learnt that our mind is extremely strong,” she said.
“If you put your mind to something, focusing on the goal and being positive, anything is possible. You can overcome any challenge if you put your mind to it. And it only takes one person, one individual to believe in a child, to change their future. To bring hope to a child, family or community is within reach, one step at a time.”
Van der Walt said their next step would be bigger than Cape2Care.
“We are busy planning the next big journey for 2025 as well as four Cape2Care journeys, where we will invite the community to take part in a day walk, to experience a glimpse of the Cape2Care journey in a day.”
She said for 2025 they are planning on a Vereeniging to Namibia walk.
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