dirtyhippo Posted February 5, 2008 Share please check out the site,its going to be interactive soon and there will be cool stuff up for auction by our sponsers as will the kilometers that we race.it realy is an awesome project to be a part of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyhippo Posted February 7, 2008 Share About the songo.info project The Songo.info Charity initiative was birthed with Christoph Sauser’s will to ride the 2008 Absa Cape Epic for a charitable cause. He’s heart has been to give back to South Africa, to his winter training base town of Stellenbosch, and more directly to the community of Kayamandi. A prominent township on the outskirts of Stellenbosch, Kayamandi sits against the slope of Pappagaai Berg where Sauser has spent many hours riding. Together with the JAG Foundation, the Songo.info project has adopted the drive to raise funds for a BMX Track, and through phases use the track to create an opportunity to impact kids captivated by poverty. Sauser has partnered with Burry Stander, South Africa’s brightest mountain biking star, to ride the 8 stages of the magical and untamed African mtb race totaling 950km from Knysna to Lourensford, in support of the Songo.info initiative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted February 7, 2008 Share Wow that's really awesome. Hope they kick some but! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brakkies Sport Fotos Posted February 7, 2008 Share Kayamandi, also the most nutorious bike hijacking place in the northern surburbs. This is were you loose a bike at knive point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLegend Posted February 7, 2008 Share It's a good cause and to be appreciated. But I wonder how much that BMX track will do for the kids. How many of them do actually have a bike to ride on it? How long will the track bb in a good state before it gets destroyed? The BMX track doesn't help to fight poverty from the bottom up to actually solve or change something. I think there's other ways, better way, to do something for the kids or the community together. Criticism without a better recommendation again...but doing something for the hygenic situation in the township would be something useful and might actually change something for a longer term. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willehond Posted February 7, 2008 Share Great cause. The area needs people to be involved and care. Good to see the stars giving back to cycling with grassroots involvement! ...maar met Sauser op die Epic? Dis 'n groot lat wat jy gepluk het dirtyhippo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straatvark Posted February 7, 2008 Share My first reaction was same as popeye - extremely negative. (The seniors members of this community will walk straight past you while you stand there bleeding after brick attack, while the thugs visibly stand and laugh at you from close distance. Also dodge a knife. I know of someone that seen a gun pulled at him and his wife. ) BUT, Maybe hippo & sponsor etc have the right contacts that can response: On how they as a community themselves work together to throw the thugs out. I'm all for projects like this and will contribute, but in my own small personal world i need some concrete ations from THEMSELVES inside this specific cummunity to win my heart again. Please relate this message to someone that actually live their. (Or i'm uninformed of existing such actions) I'm sorry, maybe i seems "cold" - but i was made to feel like that by members of this community. I was NOT like that before, confirm that with my friends and family. This is their oppertunity to convert me back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robotech Posted February 7, 2008 Share I'm all for helping people in need...my only fear is that if the track gets built and we manage to get a few bikes sponsored... What will stop the evil bastards in the community from stealing those bikes and leaving the youngsters back at square 1... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brakkies Sport Fotos Posted February 7, 2008 Share If I recall correct, I think Poisen was mugged at that vibricate walls as well. but, maybe I got the names confuse, but I'n pretty sure she was a victim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonW Posted February 7, 2008 Share I seem to recall that similar projects in other parts of the country have worked really well. Remember that it is generally only a small percentage of poor communities that resort to crime. If you give the kids something to call their own, they will fight tooth and nail to look after it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willehond Posted February 7, 2008 Share Straatvark, I hear you, but if you look at the project you will see that the guy who started it is a local. So maybe that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straatvark Posted February 7, 2008 Share look at the project you I did actually (after my first negative impulse) to inform myself and search for an indication that it will reduce cycling related crime in the area. Well i did not see that, only projects (with very good intentions and reasons) that channel much needed money onto very valid projects. Also noticed along the way: "Despite a low literacy rate and widespread unemployment Kayamandi is a home to many who embrace and practice with pride their rich and colourful Xhosa culture and heritage. This vibrant culture is based on ?Ubuntu?, meaning, humanity, resulting in a proud, hopeful and strong nation blooming with potential." This wonderfull - but I personaly did not experience the "humanity" part (even from the none-thugs that just walked past, and more than once - it is "normal" practice and known under cyclists AND known to the members of the community) What i was trying to say is that there is nothing wrong with the project, but I will not be personally envolved, until a project like"BringTheCyclingThugsToThisSideOfPaintedWall" is intiated by Songo or made part of the BMX track one. The thugs need to be prosecuted, my wife should cycle safety past Kayamandi on her own and Papegaaiberg should be safe to MTB for me after work. AND Kayamandi might have my contribution to the much needed BMX track. That is then "blooming" ALL the potential of the Stellenbosch area from my perspective. Then I might really REALLY be a very active partner to projects like this BMX track one. - And might stop at the track on my commuting trips to assist or "check in". My perspective at this stage is that i just might not ride home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euraquila Posted February 12, 2008 Share I did actually Well i did not see that' date=' but I personaly did not experience the "humanity" part What i was trying to say is my wife should cycle safety past Kayamandi on her own and Papegaaiberg should be safe to MTB for me after work. Kayamandi might have my contribution to the much needed BMX track. That is then "blooming" ALL the potential of the Stellenbosch area from my perspective. Then I might really REALLY be a very active partner to projects like this BMX track one. - And might stop at the track on my commuting trips to assist or "check in". My perspective at this stage is that i just might not ride home. [/quote'] Great initiative dirtyhippo. Sometimes it takes an outsider to help make a difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straatvark Posted February 12, 2008 Share Read your post twice and then I smiled Apologies to ALL about by negativity. Was thinking about this, twice a day, for the past week passing there and wondered when all this is going to be stopped/fixed. This are a good project, please keep me up to date dirtyhippo - as you can see this hit close to home. Thanks euraquila... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groot Lem Posted February 12, 2008 Share Quite a few people in our church stay in kayamandi, Dean started the mtb thing in KM, I think it must be supported.i've ridden past KM wall about 100times per year for 30 years now, someone tried to mugg me only once out of the 3 000 times. Thats quite a safe ratio, better than the trucks that came by far too close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
straatvark Posted April 18, 2008 Share Had seen something this morning that I waited a long time for... - and this video for first time: (By date added, clearly not added after my first posting) The Epic are finished (partaily or not ), but the project is still going nicely it seems. I see Songo feel the same as me on Papegaai-berg. I'm converted. You are the man Songo! Back to the need - what hubber spend money on wheels and pedals but did not donate yet? (The km's are only halfway bought yet.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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