From this Sunday, 29 May to Sunday, 5 June, South Africa will commemorate National Child Protection Week.
This annual campaign is led by the Department of Social Development in partnership with key government departments and civil society organisations rendering child protection services in efforts to raise awareness of the rights of children across the country.
26-year-old Rudy Van Dieman from Mitchells plain is on a mission to fulfill such a purpose and find a safe home for children in his own community.
The innovator is not a stranger from charitable work and organisations that are doing their bit to improve the lives of people in communities. He’s continuing with his goal to achieve 365 summits up Table Mountain, particularly Platteklip in efforts to raise R1 million for a charity called Angels SA, located in his community. The organisation plans to find a home for children. He has been doing this once a day, every day since the start of 2022 and has raised more than R50,000.
“I have been working with different charities from the start of high school, which helped develop my character from being an introvert into an extrovert. Working for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway has helped me build my social skills and boost my confidence when speaking to people worldwide.
“This couldn’t have been more beneficial, and I learnt all types of cultures and beautiful stories from people doing so much good in the world,” he said.
He added that in his hometown, there are only three known orphanages, two are for infants to five years old, and after that, children are placed in safe houses for three months then move from home to house until they find families to keep them for longer.
“With the safe house, we want to create a stable life and environment for them until the age of 18 and enjoy a safe haven where they can call home,” he said.
You can support Rudy on this journey by clicking here.
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Picture: Cape Town ETC