Cape Town – Stellenbosch University (SU) staff, students, alumni and friends have raised R1 million in donations and goods in a campaign to end hunger among needy students on its campuses.
The university’s #Move4Food campaign, launched in August last year with the ambitious target of raising R10 million in four months, has been extended to April this year.
A number of students, staff, alumni and friends of the university have been supporting the #Move4Food in various ways, according to SU spokesperson Martin Viljoen.
The senior director of development and alumni relations at SU, Karen Bruns,said: “We are so grateful to everyone who has decided to #Move4Food and we urge others to take up the challenge to help our students reach their target.”
Putting their money where their mouths are, SU rector and vice-chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers and 110 staffers, alumni, students and friends showed their support by running the 42.2km Sanlam Cape Town Marathon in September to raise more than R152 000
“It is just so heartening to see the passion and enthusiasm of our staff, students and alumni to drive student success at SU,” said De Villiers, who wants to raise more funds for the campaign by cycling in the Cape Town Cycle Tour on March 10.
“We have come a long way - but there is still a long way to go. Help our students reach their finish line.
“If you are planning to sign up for your favourite sporting events in 2019 - such as the Cape Town Cycle Tour - I challenge you to do this in support of our #Move4Food campaign,” he said.
SU staff member Desmond Thompson tackled the Karoo to Coast mountain bike race, while students staged an awareness-raising 24-hour spin-a-thon on stationary bikes in the Neelsie Student Centre, cycling more than 8000 kilometres throughout the day and night.
A total of 15 095 items of non-perishable food were deposited into the lunch box over 24 hours - exceeding the target of 15 000 food items.
A major contribution of 10 800 meals delivered by the PPS Foundation helped to further boost the collection, along with a significant contribution of products by the Spar franchise in the Neelsie centre.
Others who raised money and supported the campaign in their own way included alumnus Folkers Tulkki-Williams , who is based in Helsinki and hiked the 375km across Estonia to raise R10 000 for #Move4Food.
In December a team of students from the medical campus cycled 902km from Vioolsdrift at the Namibian border to South Africa’s border at Cape Agulhas. They raised over R57 000.
They can still be supported by donating at: https://www.givengain.com/a/hippocampusfund/
To make a donation or create your own project in support of #Move4Food, visit www.givengain.com/cc/su100/
If you would like to sign up for the Cape Town Cycle Tour as part of #Move4Food, send an email to [email protected].