40 days – 40 walks – 4 Education – An Intro…
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world ~ Nelson Mandela
This past week I celebrated my 40th birthday. This is an enormous milestone and time for a midlife crisis perhaps? There are several things that I hold dear. The first is my family, a lovely big overflowing family which gathers often and is supportive of all ideas no matter how weird and wonderful. This is followed by the gorgeous mountainside that I have been lucky to call home and then our precious school, Royal Drakensberg Primary.
My midlife crisis will impact on all three of these aspects of my life. My family, as always, will become involved in the great plan to hike for 40 consecutive days. Most of the hikes will take place in the valley that I call home and my mission is to raise money for our school and the children who pass through it.
40 days – 40 hikes – The 40 Series – Walking 4 Education
Reflection allows us to join up the dots of the past. I am always amazed that I did become a teacher and that I left the profession pretty promptly only to later start a school where my children could learn close to home. This has been a privilege. I have had my children close, I have watched them enjoy the great outdoors for the first 5 years of formal schooling and in the process we have developed a wonderful school for so many more children.
40 hikes – Details that we know now:
- The hikes begin on Good Friday, 18th April 2014
- Some hikes will be morning walks and others will be full day hikes
- A special BIG 5 hike – reserved for 25 pax – each person will need to raise R1000 per peak that they climb
- A few hikes will be on-the-move hikes, from one resort to the next…
- Sundays will be family days and I will do a shorter walk with my children
- All the hikes will be mapped & all the miles added up
How you can help?
- Corporates, I encourage you to become a main sponsors and donate towards a project that has worked and succeeded for more than 7
years - Family, friends and those that visit this area, I challenge you to sponsor my miles and donate to help us keep the light of hope alive for the children from this rural Amazizi Village
- Join me on the special Big 5 and get your family & friends involved through sponsoring your walk
- Join me on any walk and make a donation of your choice to our school which will ensure that we are able to provide a quality education to the little folk from this area
The Birthday Hike – 40 on the 14th – Valentine’s Day
On my birthday we hiked to the top of Sugar Loaf and I really couldn’t think of a more wonderful way to spend a morning and begin my 40th year. Our party was made up of my two youngest children, Noah & Isabella, my husband, sister, father, brother, aunt, uncle (family, family, family) and a couple, Daphne & Dave, who have become great friends and willing helpers and supporters of all the work we do to help improve education in this area. Our hike was a little slower than anticipated and the mist rolled in so we were robbed of a view but it was magical being up above the cliff line and sharing many a happy step with great friends and family. We include our route and a few pictures from the day…..
Note:
My main aim is to raise awareness for education for the children of the Northern Drakensberg. We are tucked away in a remote area and the only way to make a real contribution is to help the children. I love SA and I know that there is so much potential hidden in this part of the world which is just waiting, waiting, waiting to be realised. I believe you could all help discover it through supporting this great initiative….
Whilst I have a plan which is to hike for 40 days, each day is not yet mapped. I am open to suggestions and comments and would welcome any fine ideas…