Jurie pedals many extra miles for local charity

FORMER Hillcrest resident, Jurie Botha, will selflessly give up two years of his life to raise awareness and funds for the Jes Foord Foundation by cycling 40 000km across two continents.

Originally from Stellenbosch, Jurie became intrinsically involved in the local area during his time here and was quick to join a local running club.

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This was how he came to learn of the non-profit organisation and the important work it does in the community.

Five years later he jetted off to Kenya for work but the Jes Foord Foundation remained a cause close to his heart.

Two years later he made the choice to take a sabbatical and travel across the world on a bicycle.

The first question on everyone’s lips was if he was doing it for charity which set in motion the start of the Cycling South Against Rape initiative.

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During his time with the Highway Mail he jokingly said his current full-time position from this moment on was that of an adventurer and extremist.

Jurie has a six-year-old son and he said that by taking part in this venture he will not only set a good example for his child, but hopes to change the lives of many through this daring journey.

Initially he planned to purchase a specially made bike from the States for an adventure that would take him 20 000km across South America. The biking company, Tread USA, found out about his plans and offered to sponsor him if he was willing to add a few thousand kilometres onto his journey by cycling through Africa.

To cover the mileage he plans on hitting at least 2 000km per month and said the items he will carry will consist of canned tuna, oats, and rice. “Anything you can boil on a burner next to the road really,” laughed Jurie. Finding food and a place to stay is something he said he we will take on a day-to-day basis and hopes that someone will offer him a warm meal and shower along the way. While crime wasn’t a deterrent for him, his biggest worry was the natural elements he will face along the route. “Cycling the Andes in the winter and dealing with snow and minus temperatures… I think I will learn a lot about myself doing that,” he said.

The trip will start on 10 May in Lima, the capital of Peru. He will then head towards the Andes Mountains and the Atacama desert and follow the coast back up to a gorgeous finish in Rio De Janeiro. From there he will travel to Cairo and then do the African leg of the awareness campaign.

“I was a good cyclist in school and did road and track and after school it was studying and working and then got into running,” he said. He has competed in four Comrades Marathons and two Four Oceans races. “In the last two years I got fat and lazy,” he said. “The cheapest way to travel through the world is on a bicycle and I decided that was the way it was going to be. I have 40 000km to get fit again.”

Jurie hopes to raise R250 000 for the foundation. “It is about raising awareness for how we behave as men when it comes to the issue of rape. It is to raise awareness for our children and set a positive example for them. It is about what actually makes us a man by doing the right thing and to send a message out there that no means no,” said Jurie.

Curves Hillcrest was quick to offer its support of the venture and has set up a map inside the club to track his progress. According to the owner, Cindy Stevenson, they will, during Jurie’s travels, help raise funds and take part in the Jes Foord Foudation’s handbag project. “It is amazing to create international awareness for the Foundation as rape is not just in South Africa its all over the world and what Jurie is doing to create this awareness is huge,” said Cindy.

Follow Adventures_jb on Instagram, there will be a blog, links to a Youtube channel as well as the link to make a donation towards his cause.

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