Walk, run or cycle for Christel House SA

Author: Christel House South Africa

On your marks, get set, go! Get ready to step up and make a positive impact this September with Christel House South Africa's Virtual Fitness Challenge.

Christel House is a non-profit, no-fee school, and invites individuals, businesses, and communities to participate in this exciting initiative to raise funds for the school's essential feeding programme. Register now and participate from 1 - 30 September 2023.

Christel House SA's Virtual Fitness Challenge has officially launched, urging everyone to walk, run, or cycle their way towards supporting the school's students. By taking part and raising funds, participants not only engage in healthy activities but also contribute to the school’s feeding programme. This programme ensures that students receive two nutritious meals and snacks every school day.

How to participate:

1. Register for free by visiting: sa.christelhouse.org. Join as an individual or create a team – whether it's your business team, department, or a group of friends.

2. Set your personal kilometre target and fundraising goal for the campaign.

3. Link the campaign to your Strava app to track your kilometres or manually track your kilometres.

Share your unique campaign profile with your colleagues, friends and family and encourage them to donate to your campaign.
Walk, run or cycle and continue to raise funds.

Adri Marais, CEO of Christel House South Africa comments, "We encourage everyone, from all fitness levels, to participate in the Virtual Fitness Challenge. By joining or supporting a participant, you are helping to nourish healthy minds and build healthy bodies, ultimately transforming the lives of our students, their families, and our communities."

Christel House SA serves students from under-resourced neighbourhoods in Cape Town and provides them with 19 years of comprehensive support (Grade RR to Grade 12 and five years post-school) through character-based and career-focused education. The main criterion for admission to Christel House is not evidence of talent – but evidence of poverty. The school’s holistic approach has yielded remarkable results, with a proud lineage of accomplished alumni. Christel House has achieved an impressive 99% matric pass rate since its inception, showcasing the school's dedication to academic excellence. Furthermore, a commendable 93% of its graduates are employed, studying or doing both.

This global initiative is simultaneously taking place across multiple Christel House institutions worldwide, including Mexico and the United States. Christel House SA aims to raise R500,000 and collectively cover a distance of 40 075 kilometres (the circumference of the earth).

The Virtual Fitness Challenge is proudly presented by Smollan, a global retail solutions provider. Last year, Smollan integrated the Virtual Fitness Challenge into their staff wellness programme. Over 250 Smollan employees were registered, collectively raising R54 540 and tracking 15 674kms. This year, Smollan is dedicated to supporting Christel House SA even further as the official campaign presenting sponsor. "Our Smollan Being Well Programme offers support services across the wellbeing spectrum and as a part of our physical well-being initiatives, we were proud to be supporting Christel House in their Virtual Fitness Challenge," says Michael Power, Chief Executive at Smollan Africa.

CHEP, a leading international supply chain solutions company is also on board as the campaign’s silver phase sponsor.

For more information about the campaign or to arrange a presentation for your team, contact Christel House SA's Project Manager, Saadiq Chotia at schotia@sa.christelhouse.org or 021 704 9447/ 076 317 8602.