Back before the Absa Cape Epic had a name or sponsor, when it was little more than an ambitious dream, its founder was adamant that his event do more than just give competitors a good race: it had to do good too. So, from the start, we included mechanisms to do just that, particularly focusing on benefiting the communities along the route. Initially this entailed donating bicycles to schoolchildren winners of art competitions and other projects but, like the Absa Cape Epic, the intentions soon became far more ambitious.
Enter Victor Sables, the Development Officer of the Absa Cape Epic, and now Director of the Big Tree Foundation. Victor had been involved with the race since 2005, initially working with internationally sponsored NGOs focused on promoting bicycles as a sustainable form of transport. He and his team conduct workshops at each event, teaching thousands of children about the merits of cycling, about bicycle maintenance and general safety as well as taking them on a tour of the race village to get a feel of the event. At least 10 000 children have been impacted by such Absa Cape Epic-related activities and workshops in just four years. But the goal was to do more.
The provision of hundreds of bicycles, which would allow learners to get to school more quickly was an excellent start, and one which is set to grow exponentially in coming years, but now it is time for even more. Visiting the towns and conducting the workshops with the learners, Victor has been confronted with further needs. 'I soon discovered, after speaking to the teachers, that learners were having problems with other resource materials,' he explains. 'So we have begun expanding our programmes to see how we can get others to assist, and we now focus on a more holistic provision of education. It's about giving more than just a bike; it's about core resources.'
With the seeds it disperses, the Big Tree Foundation is working to change the landscape of the nation.
