Couple plans to touch more lives

Despite having ended 2016 on a high note, Ekurhuleni couple Vis and Mona Naidoo have even bigger plans for the year ahead.

After successfully summiting Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro in July 2016, the couple aim to get more people to take up this challenge in 2017.

The climb is part of the Trek4Mandela Caring4Girls expedition and takes place annually in celebration of Mandela Day, which is on July 18.

In 2017, the couple also plans to raise more awareness of the Caring4Girls programme and the impact it has had.

Caring4Girls is a sanitary towels distribution programme designed to keep young girls in school during their monthly menstrual cycle.

The initiative focuses on creating awareness about puberty and adolescent and, in the process, demystify all menstrual-related myths.

It is the brainchild of Mpumalanga-born Richard Mabasa.

For this project, the Naidoos plan to raise more funds through their Friends of Madiba benefit dinner, which has been incorporated into the Trek4Mandela programme as an annual event.

As far as community involvement is concerned, Vis and Mona have pledged to work with Ward 20 Councillor Jill Humphreys through her ward committee.

“We will team up with Casper Durandt, who will head up the youth portfolio on the ward committee, to make a positive difference to the youth of our area. As custodians of the Imbumba Foundations Vision 20/20 Youth Leadership Programme, we will use this vehicle to empower our children to take leadership of their own destiny, to live an inspired life and to have a ripple effect on their families and communities,” said Vis.

Asked if they would be climbing Kili again next year, Mona said it is something they are considering and will definitely do, should they find a sponsor.

This month, the Naidoos travel to Northern Ireland to continue their personal development education.

“We have integrated education into our everyday life and if we are not learning, we are teaching. 2017 will see an explosion of both these activities,” said Vis.

Vis is a sales executive at Barloworld Logistics and Mona is the senior deputy director of public prosecutions at the National Prosecuting Authority, specialising in tax crimes.