Karoline Hanks is running the RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT) 100-miler to raise funds for Project Noordhoeked and to help reunite one of its employees, William Chirwa, with his family after seven years apart. From left, are Project Noordhoeked team members William Chirwa, Edger Phiri, David Mahala, and Jacob Mahala.
This November, Karoline Hanks will tackle a 160-km race to support a community project she founded and to help reunite a family.
As co-founder of the non-profit Project Noordhoeked, she’s running the RMB Ultra-Trail Cape Town (UTCT) 100-miler to raise funds for the organisation.
Ms Hanks has launched a BackaBuddy campaign, hoping the funds raised will also help William Chirwa, who works for Project Noordhoeked, visit his son in Malawi, whom he hasn’t seen in seven years.
The race, from Friday November 22 to Sunday November 24, starts in Cape Town’s CBD and spans the peninsula, passing through Simon's Town, Scarborough, and Kommetjie before finishing at Noordhoek Beach.
Karoline is no stranger to long distances.
“I’ve completed the Addo 100-miler three times, winning once, and I’ve also tackled the 13 Peaks Challenge, which covers over 220km and took me 71 hours,” she said.
“I’m accustomed to long distances and the challenges they bring. My 100-milers usually take about 26 hours, including running through the night.”
In the past, she has run races to raise funds for other organisations, such as ToadNuts.
In 2021, she raised R70 000 for Bob the Turtle's satellite tag by completing a back-to-back 13 Peaks Challenge, covering 220 km.
This year, however, her focus is on supporting her own project.
“Our project does great work for the environment in our community, but after a recent fund-raiser fell short and with fewer donors, we might have to cut back our team’s workdays from three to two per week,” she said.
Mr Chirwa joined Project Noordhoeked in 2019, working with a small team that maintains Noordhoek’s beaches, wetlands, and surrounding areas three days a week.
Their efforts include cleaning up ocean plastic, removing invasive plants and maintaining trails.
“The thought of going home to see my family means everything to me,” he said. “It feels like a dream I hope comes true soon. I can’t wait to see my son, mom, dad, and the rest of my family after all these years.”
Praising Ms Hanks for her support, he said: “She’s taken on the huge responsibility of helping me get home, and she’s willing to run this incredibly tough race to make it happen.
“There aren’t many people who would take on someone else’s burden as if it were their own.”
Ms Hanks is asking the community to support her run by donating R1 for every kilometre she completes, totalling R160.
“With enough support, Project Noordhoeked can continue its important environmental work, and William will finally get to see his family again,” she said.
Visit this title’s online edition for a direct link to the BackaBuddy campaign.