A Kingsway High School teacher decided to combine adventure with good deeds when she tackled the Put Foot Rally during the school holidays. Joni Maree, an Afrikaans teacher, roped her former neighbour into partnering with her to drive more than 8 000km into Southern Africa to deliver shoes to remote and rural areas.
“I used my own vehicle plastered with Put Foot Rally stickers that I received from the organisers after I paid our entrance fee. We were the only women-only team and we called ourselves the ‘Dusty Dames’,” said the adventurer. First she had to drive to Cape Town to pick up her teammate, before joining up with 130 to 180 other vehicles to start the rally from Melkbosstrand.
This was the ninth year of the rally that stopped off in Namibia, among the roaring lions of Etosha National Park, Botswana, where they spent a night on the salt pans under a majestic starlit sky, Zambia, where they were awed by the mighty Zambezi River and drenched under the falling mist of the magnificent Victoria Falls, Malawi, where they bedded down on the white beaches of Lake Malawi, and finally into the tropical paradise of Mozambique, before crossing back over the border to home.
Everyone travels in convoy at their own leisurely pace and when you make camp, you are spoilt with a tasty meal, lots of drinks and a themed party to social and have fun with the other crazy participants.
READ ALSO: Support Elder’s Voice fundraiser and you could be cruising
“Along the way we gave brand-new shoes and socks to children. Some places are so remote that we often dropped off shoes on the side of the road or whatever buildings we could find. Poverty is huge in those areas and it is in the middle of nowhere. In Zambia we did a massive shoe drop of 1 000 pairs. A smaller drop we did was 400 pairs. All the children lined up and we put on a pair of socks and shoes on each one. The girls got white socks and grey for the boys.
“Each child also got a stationery pack. It was chaotic with high spirits and lots of tears. It was heart-breaking to see there was nothing in the classrooms – no desks or chairs, no paper, no pens, not even a blackboard. And children of all ages are all together in one class. The staff were nice, loving and grateful for what we brought. It was a nice social event, where we made a difference. My teammate’s favourite saying during the tour was ‘spread a little sunshine wherever you go’, which sums it up nicely.”
Joni did most of the driving, and she ended up clocking over 12 000km. She was pleased to report that they suffered no problems, not even a flat tyre. “Which was amazing, because in some places the pot holes were so big I called them pot baths. One of the guys burst all four tyres when he hit one.”
A lot of foreigners join the rally, coming from as far away as the USA, Romania, Belgium and India. “I’ve always wanted to try it – I was curious the first time I heard about it. It was such an incredible experience. The vibe is awesome. When you camp you share meals and drinks around a bonfire. Meeting people was the best for me. On the long boring roads we would swap teammates in the vehicles. It was so chilled, people even sit on their vehicle’s roof while we are driving.
READ ALSO: Businesses unite for 12 Day Corporate Drive for Sam
“The theme parties were absolutely crazy with a DJ and I am already signing up for next year’s rally,” promised Joni. For its 10 year celebrations next year, there are two different rallies and routes on offer – both start in Cape Town, but the June rally finishes in Zanzibar City, Tanzania, while the August rally concludes in Inhalator, Mozambique. To participate in the next rally, call 021-813-9305 or email info@putfootrally.com.
DID YOU KNOW?
Click on the words highlighted in red to read more on this and related topics.
To receive news links via WhatsApp or Telegram, send an invite to 061 694 6047
The South Coast Sun is also on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest – why not join us there?
Do you have more information pertaining to this story?
Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.
(Comments posted on this issue may be used for publication in the Sun)
