FIVE people from Katlehong in Ekurhuleni are walking to Durban for a good cause.
The spokeswoman of the Hope For Africa Foundation, Tshegofatso Kitso Sello, said the walk aims to raise awareness about kids who don't have school shoes and launch a sanitary pads drive for young girls in disadvantaged areas across Mzansi.
She said the 7th edition Walk for Change, also known as the Break the Silence walk, is dedicated to the LGBTQIA+ community, victims of gender, and children who walk barefoot to school.
This group started walking on Friday, 17 November.
The participants will cover a distance of more than 500 kilometres, from Katlehong to Durban, passing through different towns and villages along the way.
"We will reach our destination on Friday, 1 December, where the officials of eThekwini Municipality will welcome us," Sello said.
Hope for Africa Foundation has donated 560 shoes since the campaign started. People of the community also contributed by depositing money into their bank accounts, while other people brought school shoes to their offices in Katlehong.
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"During the walk, we will also have a certain stop in a location where we'll have a certain stop in a location to inform people about what the Foundation does for the community," she said.
The five participants, Sibusiso Makamule, Lorna Magula, Phindile Ntombela, Siphamandla Maseko, Ntokozo Sibiya, and the founder of Hope For Africa Foundation, Jabulane Hope Thabethe, have covered 320 km so far since they started the walk.
The CEO of the foundation, Jabulane Hope Thabethe, said this year's walk involves partners such as the European Union, other organisations, and volunteers.
They will be advocating for an end to discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community and an end to gender-based violence.
He said the foundation will continue to help families escape the cycle of poverty through various educational and livelihood programmes.
"Many times, we learn by listening to our community's needs and working towards fulfilling them," said Jabulane Thabethe.
Chief operation officer at the foundation, Phindile Ntombela, said they want to bring sustainable solutions to social justice issues in South Africa.
GBV champion Lorna Magagula said violence against women and children is on the rise.
"Being a victim of GBV affected me a lot. It took a long drag for me to change my life and how I think," she said.
Lorna said she joined the walk to bring awareness of GBV to the community.
