Cape Town - In an effort to bring attention to the plight of underprivileged children around the country, a group of seven women embarked on a journey for change from Pretoria to the shores of Cape Town in order to uplift and inspire.
After departing from Joburg on January 31, the ladies at the Dynamic Women for Children organisation (DWFC) arrived at Waterfront yesterday after walking around 80km per day for 21 days, with a total of 1 460.4km worth of steps.
Michelle van Biljon, founder of the organisation and who was among the seven women who participated in the walk, said that the reason she walked was for children who have been failed by circumstance.
"What inspired the walk was my mother's dream to make an impact outside of Pretoria and extend a hand to other organisations around the country who shared the same vision as us.
"We walked for our children who have been failed by their adult figures, failed by their environment, failed by false promises, unaware of how empowered they actually are, and the ability they have to change their circumstance.
“We walked for our children who have the potential to rise above their circumstances and become the leaders of tomorrow," said Van Biljon.
Among the women who participated in the walk was Afrikaans teacher Meaghan Badenhorst, whose sole aim was to endure the pain and challenge herself to reach the end for the greater good.
"The walk wasn’t easy, and having to walk in different weather conditions took a toll on us. But we were determined to stick it out.
“For me, the journey to Cape Town was such an honour because we did not only do it to prove a point, but we also did it for children who never got the chance to prove to themselves that they are worthy of being great.
“Seeing that I am a teacher, I have a great passion for working with children, and that is why I embarked on the adventure with dynamic women. Given that we were an all-female group with the same goal and mission, we also took the opportunity to take our own spiritual path and prove to ourselves that we could do it," said Badenhorst.
Weekend Argus