‘Survivor’ Renier will tackle 250km for charity

If there is one thing that our very own local Survivor SA contestant, Mr Renier Louwrens, can take away from his time on the game show, it would be an eye-opening first-hand experience of what it is to starve.

For him it was a temporary feeling for the time he was on the show, but the sad reality is that it is a more permanent feeling for many South Africans and is really what moved the heart of this 30-year-old chemical engineer.

Reality kicked in when his wife, Ms Lize Louwrens, collected him from the airport upon his return from the show.

“In the game, I sat many times being super hungry and super tired. A hope-giver to myself was that this is only temporary and that I will eat again,” said Mr Louwrens.

“But then to see someone standing at a robot with a board saying “no food please help” broke me. I could relate to how he was feeling, I know now what it is like, but for this person it is permanent.”

Mr Louwrens decided that because of how his life had been impacted in a meaningful and fantastic way by the show, he wanted to use this to his advantage and make a difference.

When he returned home he made contact with a friend, Mr Toit Honeyball, who is a former SA national trail run champion, to see how they could make a difference.

“We want to create a long term structure to give hope to people who have been dealt an unfair hand in life.

“We are calling on businesses to partner with us to give back hope,” said Mr Louwrens.

Mr Louwrens is launching a world record attempt at the Drakensberg Grand Traverse, which is the longest 250km run to be completed in 45 hours (a solo record) that will happen on March 18, 2022.

“It is an incredible run. We have decided that it will be a solo run with myself being the runner.

“I am going to attempt the world record. This is the longest and fastest known time run in the country.”

Comrades runner and gold medal coach, Mr John Hamlett, has jumped on board and will be coaching Mr Louwrens on the run that will take place.

To make this amazing event to bring hope back to the local community become a reality, a primary sponsor is needed with an amount of R200 000.

He is calling on all local businesses to support this cause and to also challenge other businesses.

Mr Louwrens said this will also be a great way of publicity for businesses as it is a world record attempt.

“My heart is not that “Renier is doing something incredible”, my heart here is to make a difference for those around us. We are starting small, we are starting in Secunda.

“For those who know me, know I am not a once-off one-trick pony. If this takes off successfully, it will continue. We will keep on riding this thing to continue making an impact and change,” said Mr Louwrens.

One organisation that has been identified so far is the Janelle Huis in Evander.

“Live Village in Durban is lucrative for us. They have the model of what we want to do when creating hope.“They create these hopeful scenarios.

They are not just a house of safety. They take these people’s talents and develop them for a career when they leave their place of safety,” said Mr Louwrens.

Before Survivor, Mr Louwrens and his wife have been very involved in mission work.

“We follow what God puts on our hearts. We have been on mission work in many parts of Africa. This is really where our hearts are, to be able to go out and reach people by spreading the gospel first and foremost and to help where we can, even if it is building classrooms.

“This part of us has always been there and will never change. Survivor has opened my eyes. Did it open my eyes for need? Not really. Did it open my eyes for me to see I have an influence? Yes, 100 per cent.”

He said before Survivor, he felt he was this guy with a “big heart” who could not do anything.

“Coming back from Survivor, I realised that this suffering is so bad. I need to do something.

“I feel your pain so much that I realise that change must come. The big heroes, in the end, is not going to be me or the coaches. The heroes are going to be the companies who come on board and join this cause,” said Mr Louwrens.

The Drakensberg Grand Traverse is said to be physically hard.

“Anyone can run it. A route is pinned down where afterwards a GPS file is submitted to determine one’s time. There have been 33 attempts at the world record of which 18 have not completed the race.

“It is an intense run. This is extremely isolated and a solo run that can only be done at a weekend. All carrying of food and gear as well as navigation is solely on oneself,” concluded Mr Louwrens.

Besides being a chemical engineering at Sasol, Mr Louwrens is also a life and business coach.

For more information on his coaching visit his webpage at renierlouwrens.com.

If you would like to get involved through donating to this cause you can email Mr Louwrens at Renier.louwrens@gmail.com