WHAT is United Challenge?
United Challenge is a charity that seeks to establish a community platform where individuals or organisations can unite to bring about change in a world which is in dire need of ordinary individuals that are willing to do extraordinary things for various causes, projects and movements.
United Challenge’s vision is to be a foundation for individuals to use their talents and skills to improve the lives of those facing various challenges.
WHO is United Challenge?
United Challenge was started earlier in 2015 by Francois “Faf” Naude, a 21 year old student from Potchefstroom. Francois is currently studying towards Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering.
Francois is also an enthusiastic athlete who loves taking part in road-running, road-cycling and triathlons. Francois has a passion for exercise and endurance sport, as well as a passion for helping those affected by various severely incapacitating social circumstances.
Francois decided to combine these two passions to benefit those who find themselves in less than great social circumstances.
With this in mind, Francois approached the Little Fighters Cancer Trust to partner with them in raising funds for Children with Cancer and their Families.
Francois aims to raise funds for the Little Fighters Cancer Trust by participating in races in various disciplines, including road-running, road-cycling and triathlons, as well as competing in various endurance events and attending and hosting various formal charity events in order to raise funding, as well as raising Child Cancer Awareness.
The Little Fighters Cancer Trust feels very privileged that he has chosen it as a beneficiary, and is very proud of Francois’ commitment to the cause. It is wonderful to see such a young man being so Aware and Committed, and we really need all the funding that he is intent on raising in order to raise Childhood Cancer Awareness, and to do all we do to help our families (see our Projects Page to get an overview of some of what we do.)
Since starting this project in July, United Challenge has already:
Kicked off with a Schools United Against Cancer Project by paying a visit to the Laerskool Mooi Rivier in Potchefstroom on Friday, 31 July, where he met with all members of personnel to share a bit about the work the project is doing and aims to do in the future, in conjunction with the Little Fighters Cancer Trust, informing them of the Early Warning Signs of Childhood Cancer and handing over Childhood Cancer Early Warning Signs to be put up at the school.
Taken part in The Great Train Race in Witbank, Mpumalanga on the 22nd of August 2015, where he, together with 3 other members of Team United Challenge; Diana Jansen, Tinus Jansen & Susan van der Spuy ran to raise funds and Awareness. The race was a total distance of 28 km, with two runners completing the distance in under 3 hours. The event provided great publicity for Little Fighters Cancer Trust and children battling cancer.
In 1987 the Rotary Club of Coalfields launched the first relay event against a steam train along the private Amcoal railway line between Wolvekrans and Witbank (eMalahleni). This event took place annually for the next 5 years. In 1992 the race route was relocated to run along the railway line and road between Middelburg and Witbank incorporating two of Mpumalanga’s larger cities in the event. This led to the involvement of the four local Rotary Clubs and subsequently the Rotary Greatest Train Race was born.
The Rotary Greatest Train Race has since grown into one of South Africa’s largest community investment projects. The race comprises a relay and individual race against a train along the route between eMalahleni (Witbank) and Middelburg. Individuals and relay teams consisting of employees of corporations, private companies, government departments, scholars, technikons or universities students, members’ of sports clubs, social clubs and private individuals annually participate in this community driven charity event. The race is open to all members of the public interested in contributing to the wellbeing of their community and who are fit for the challenge
Disadvantaged individuals from the community are given the opportunity to experience the Greatest Train Race with a train ride on the train that “competes” against the runners – truly a once in a lifetime experience for some.
Francois also completed the Lentefees 10km Night Race on 2 September, 2015, an popular event held in Potchefstroom as part of the Potch Lentefees which has been held annually for the past 26 years at the Ferdinand Postma High School, under the Little Fighters Cancer Trust banner, kicking off International Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in fine style!
United Challenge has a great endurance event planned for 5 October, so check this page again later for all the great news…
Please go to Francois’s United Challenge For Little Fighters Cancer Trust Back-a-Buddy Page to support him in his quest to raise funding for Children with cancer by making a donation.
