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This week cyclist’s who regularly train in the Ezulwini and Lobamba area banded together to contribute towards school fees for children cared for by the Valley Charity Organisation.
The cyclist’s, who come from as far away as Mbabane and Manzini, participate in the weekly MTB Mid-weeker, an 18km timetrial organized by Ezulwini-based tour and adventure company Swazi Trails. Explains Swazi Trails Director, Darron Raw, “As cyclists who frequently move up and down in this community, we have become conscious of the many needs that are evident here. And we because we wanted to be more than just visitors that come and go leaving nothing, we have sought out a way to make a contribution.”
That contribution has most recently been in the form of a cash donation of E 2 600.00 to the Valley Charity Organisation, a community-based body established by a group of locally based women. In existence since the year 2000, the aim of the organization is to care for orphans and vulnerable children under the Lobamba Inkhundla, which includes the areas of Lobamba, Langeni, Ezulwini, Nkhanini and Ezabeni. At present the organization cares for over 120 children, of which 75 attend school.
Nonhlanhla Dludlu, the Director of Valley Charity said, “we appreciate the cyclist’s contribution as it comes at a time of year when we are looking left and right for school fees, so as to register many of the school-going children that we support.”
Asked whether the community accepts cyclists in their midst, Raw chuckles and comments: “We get a lot of encouragement, especially when the competing riders are pushing hard to beat each other, but I also know that we have given a few people a big fright when they haven’t heard us coming and suddenly they react and jump out the way.” Raw explained that all competitors are sensitized to be polite and watch out for pedestrians and especially children, but he adds: “ I know for fact that when you are training and pushing so hard it is difficult to breath, let along return a greeting to someone you pass. Its for this reason that we choose to make a positive contribution, as a way of saying we appreciate cycling through this area and we wish to acknowledge the understanding that residents have for our sport.”
With cycling now officially recognized as a sporting code in Swaziland, this weekly timetrial is a valuable testing ground for Swaziland’s top cyclists, with many of them gauging their level of fitness by the times they are able to post.
Nomphumelelo Nkambule, a supervisor at Valley Charity concluded; “We are grateful that they have come to us to offer assistance and we hope that your assistance will grow together with their sport.”
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