Comrades addressing poverty in SA through the joys of running

For runners, the Comrades Marathon is one of the ultimate tests of endurance. But each day in South Africa, countless children face an even greater test of endurance: extreme poverty. Hunger wracks the bodies of children. Preventable diseases like HIV, malaria and tuberculosis tear through their communities. Dirty water — often collected miles from home — kills people every day. Education and economic opportunity are but distant dreams for many.

World Vision (WV) works hard at changing this. A fundraising and sponsorship entity, Team World Vision (TWV) has been established to raise awareness and sponsorships for children in South Africa, Kenya and Ethiopia. The TWV Comrades Campaign – a joint venture between the fundraising entity and World Vision South Africa (WVSA) – had its debut last year when 18 runners from the United States ran and completed the race. This year, a group of 9 runners from the United States will line up at the starting line of the Comrades 2011 Marathon in order to fight the root causes of poverty in South Africa.

One day after running the Comrades the team will travel to the Eastern Cape to visit World Vision SA’s rural Nkonkobe Area Development Programme (approximately two hours’ drive from East London). Last year, TWV visited the Okhahlamba ADP in the Bergville area of Kwa-Zulu Natal and had a life-changing impact on the US visitors. These visits are truly transforming the way that poverty is observed, as the team gets to see first-hand the difference that sponsorships make in the lives of these kids and their community. Like last year, this year’s team will meet the indigenous World Vision staff, community leaders and its kids.

Chicago youth on epic journey

A youth group from Chicago is adding an exciting new dimension to this year’s campaign. Under the leadership of Chicago-based Comrades runner, humanitarian and Sports Development Facilitator Rusty Funk, an Africa Running Programme was established under the auspices of the city’s Breakthrough Urban Ministries to introduce running as a powerful way of self-development. Rusty put six selected youths through weeks of running training and gave classes about the history and culture of South Africa. These ‘student runners’ – from one of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in East Garfield Park, Chicago – have also been charged with raising child sponsorships for World Vision during this time. The group read Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country and Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom as part of their preparatory work for their epic journey to South Africa.

When the Breakthrough Youth Group sets foot on South African soil on Friday (27 May), they will start experiencing the spirit of the Comrades Marathon. On race day, they will form part of the ‘World Vision Cheering Squad’ along the route and the following day they will join the TWV group for the day of field visits in Nkonkobe on 31 May. Included in the day’s programme is a fun run with the community’s children. “These student runners will get the unique opportunity to discover how children on the other side of the world overcome their obstacles. Upon our return to Chicago, these youths will apply their learned knowledge and experiences to their own five-year development plan, through our post-trip classes,” says Rusty.

The ultimate cause

In South Africa, the hope is to raise the levels of hope for children who find themselves in situations of abject poverty, and to use the unique platform of the Comrades Marathon to raise awareness of the need for sponsorships for children in impoverished communities in South Africa.

By realising the set goal of 1 000 to 1 500 sponsors for South African children through this year’s campaign, Team World Vision will help to bring real, measurable, tangible and lasting change to the Nkonkobe and Mbhashe communities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Each child sponsor also gets to begin a unique relationship with an individual child. These sponsorships will ensure that every child in its community can experience live in all its fullness.

Every child that will be sponsored as a result of this Team World Vision Comrades fundraising effort will gain access to life’s basic necessities — things like nutritious food, clean water, healthcare, education, economic opportunity and caring staff. But the Team World Vision members cannot run the transformation race alone. They invite all South African to come alongside a child in need — to share the journey with them and help them along the road to a better future. The wish is for many South African ultra-marathon runners to join this humanitarian effort with next year’s Comrades.

“We are very excited about how this annual campaign is going to grow in years to come. It can change the face of poverty in South Africa,” says Lehlohonolo Chabeli (National Director and CEO of WVSA) and Michael Chitwood (National Director of TWV, US), the latter set to run his second Comrades Marathon this year.

Pushing the boundaries

As one of the largest privately funded humanitarian non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in the world, World Vision pushes the boundaries of development work to the greater benefit of children. With the focus on child-based and community-orientated programmes involving (1) transformational development, (2) emergency relief and (3) advocacy, the organization’s vision is for every child to enjoy life in all its fullness.

World Vision’s roots go back to 1950, when Dr Bob Pierce on his missionary trip in Korea after World War 11 founded the organisation. The organisation was originally focused on providing for orphaned children. Today, the organisation employs approximately 40 000 people with close to 100 offices worldwide – of which World Vision South Africa is one.

WVSA cares for 54 000 children in six of the nine provinces. We started with our work in 1967 and today assists over one million people through 18 Area Development Programmes (ADPs).