Helping underprivileged children gain access to a good education has always been close to my heart but it's something that I only took action on after reading "The boy who never gave up" by Dr Emmanual Taban.

At the start of 2021, I made my first donation to sponsor a young girl's education for a year and committed to saving R1000 a month so I could make my next deposit at the start of 2022.

This year I've donated to the Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Scholarship Programme in the hope that a talented young girl will get the education she deserves and go on to a brighter future that ends the cycle of generational poverty.

According to The World Bank, "Poverty is one of the most important factors for determining whether a girl can access and complete her education. Studies consistently reinforce that girls who face multiple disadvantages — such as low family income, living in remote or underserved locations or who have a disability or belong to a minority ethno-linguistic group — are farthest behind in terms of access to and completion of education."

Unfortunately, my donation (R13 000) doesn't cover one year's tuition (R42 000) at Jeppe Girls which is the reason I'm turning to my wonderful circle of friends and family for help. It's an ambitious goal to raise an additional R27 000 in one year which is why I've set myself two challenges to fundraise this effort:

Part 1: Riding for the Ruthies - Cycling 109km in the Cape Town Cycle Tour

Part 2: Running for the Ruthies - Traversing 35km of trail

Please join me on this wonderfully rewarding journey to uplift the lives of those less privileged than ourselves.

No amount is too small to donate.

More details about the Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Scholarship Programme can be viewed on their website: https://www.ruthfirstjeppetrust.co.za/

If you want to be further inspired by the impact education can make, read this: https://dremtaban.com/autobiography/

Thank you so much!

Ps. Beers on me at the finish line for anyone who donates ;)

***All proceeds on GivenGain go directly to the Ruth First Jeppe Memorial Trust, a registered charity. Should you wish to receive a Section 18A tax certificate for your donation, please feel free to reach out to me.