Award-winning adventurer Saray Khumalo and breast cancer survivor Cindy van Wyk shattered the Guinness World Record in the name of literacy on 25 October.
Together with Momentum Multiply and Planet Fitness, the pair raised an exorbitant R704 790 for #Spin4Literacy at the Planet Fitness at Sandton Gate, breaking the record for the most money raised during an eight-hour stationary cycling event. The previous record was set in 2016 by a UK-based indoor cycling company with £30 856 (an estimated R652 130).
All of the money raised will be donated to iSchool Africa in aid of building digital libraries for the next generation, ‘changing the narrative around education for South African children’, according to Khumalo. The funds will go toward delivering digital libraries in rural and township schools in all nine provinces.
Each library will consist of an iPad lab supported by curriculum-based mobile-apps, award-winning numeracy and literacy software, teacher training modules, access to a full library, dedicated programme facilitators, and mentors.
Khumalo, who was the first black woman from Africa to reach the summit of Mount Everest, is a huge advocate for literacy, dedicating most of her adventures to the cause. “You can’t believe how proud I am of what we have achieved today. Although we are tired, we can never rest. There is so much more that needs to be done to multiply the lives of those in need,” Khumalo added.
The pair was joined by 136 other participants in gym studios in Cape Town, Pretoria and Durban who pledged their support. Through sponsoring a bike for R25 000, companies were able to join in the record-breaking moment.
Related articles:
