This August Afrika Tikkun is calling on all South Africans who enjoy a challenge – and enjoy cycling – to make a difference by joining the Tikkun Eagles for the 22nd edition of the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge in Johannesburg in November.
If you’re a cycling enthusiast and were already contemplating doing the race, no matter where you are in the country, you can join the Tikkun Eagles and make sure that your entry fee and race participation goes well beyond cycling on the day.
Non-profit organisation, Afrika Tikkun works with partners in underprivileged areas of Joburg and Cape Town to develop youth holistically from ‘cradle to career’, including nutrition and family support programmes for the benefit of entire communities. To date, the lives of over 230,000 youth across the country have been positively affected by their efforts; and by cycling the 2018 Telkom 947 Challenge as a Tikkun Eagle you will be part of their good work.
Afrika Tikkun Group Executive of Partnerships and Marketing, Onyi Nwaneri says, “We work across the areas of education, nutrition, health care and family support because they are all interlinked in the development of a little person. You can’t teach a hungry child. You can’t expect a child in crisis at home to do well at school. You can’t expect a child being abused – physically or mentally – to be able to focus. You can’t assume that a child with disabilities in any form will perform the same as a child without, and you need to equip the families of those children properly too. Taking care of a child’s physical, mental and emotional wellbeing will ensure that they become productive citizens, but they need support from benefactors and individuals like us in order to survive, to learn, to shine, to hope and to dream. Joining the Tikkun Eagles team is just one way in which you can get involved and make a difference. There is still so much to achieve, and we can all help!”
Afrika Tikkun and its many partners believe that when we invest in our youth we are investing in the future of our country and Patron-in-Chief of Afrika Tikkun, Nelson ‘Madiba’ Mandela believed that Afrika Tikkun was one of the best organisations to be able to make the kind of difference the country needs to see, saying, “Afrika Tikkun has proven that it has the ability to reach sections of our disadvantaged population at grassroots level. It, therefore, provides both physical help, as well as giving hope and dignity to the recipients.”
Dean Furman, Bafana Bafana player and ambassador of the Tikkun Eagles says, “Afrika Tikkun have a clear vision for the underprivileged youth in South Africa, aiming to give them the best opportunities in life through education, health care, nutrition and family support. For as long as I’ve been associated with the organisation I’ve felt honoured to be playing a role in empowering our youth of today towards a better tomorrow. I would encourage every cyclist in the country to join the Tikkun Eagles as you’ll be riding and raising money for a fantastic cause whilst also being an integral part of a supportive team full of fun and energy.”
Everyone participating in the Tikkun Eagles team is encouraged to raise a further R3,000 in support of Afrika Tikkun’s initiatives, and they provide access to a free online fundraising platform in order to do so.
Nwaneri adds, “At this stage of the game we’re recruiting as many people as possible to join the Tikkun Eagles team. Every year we sponsor the entries of a number of our Afrika Tikkun young people that are cycling fanatics, and we find that it becomes a great accomplishment for them – one that encourages social interaction and builds confidence. Even if you’ve never considered doing the race before, make the decision now and there are still quite a few months ahead to get some good training in.”
Furman concludes, “To my young Afrika Tikkun friends looking forward to cycling the race, I wish you all the very best. When you’ve got something to prove, there’s nothing greater than a challenge. Train hard, dream big and give it your all!”
The race takes place on Sunday, 18 November in Johannesburg with over 28,000 adventurers expected at the start line. Your Cycle Challenge / Tikkun Eagles entry fee of R1,500 entitles you to the outsourced management of your entry, 24/7 support, cycle gear and a more. Entries for the Tikkun Eagles team close on 20 August 2018.
For more information on joining the Tikkun Eagles for the Telkom 947 Cycle Challenge email events@afrikatikkun.org or visit www.afrikatikkun.org/94-7-cycle-challenge.
For more information on Afrika Tikkun and call 011 325 5914, email info@afrikatikkun.org or visit www.afrikatikkun.org.