The lack of the necessary footwear did not prevent a group of more than 70 children from Nyanga, Cape Town, from participating in their monthly hikes organised by the Nyanga Hiking Club.
On Sunday, the large group tackled Kalk Bay Peak.
Nyanga Hiking Club organiser Dani Saporetti said the group is made up of a slightly older age group in a slightly younger age group.
Saporetti said that depending on the bus and the desire, they typically take up to 75 children.
Some of the boys and girls are from a school and aftercare, while others joined through word of mouth.
Saporetti said these hikes stemmed from her always wanting to take people who do not always have access, the means or resources, to get on the mountain for the experience, because she fell in love with hiking about 10 years ago.
“I always thought even though the mountain’s free, a guide to do it safely, water, snacks, transport, all those things cost, and they all add up,” Saporetti said.
She acknowledged that it can be expensive, but said it should be a regular thing for children living around Cape Town.
“These kids in Nyanga look at the mountain every single day, and now they have the opportunity to get onto it and really experience nature,” Saporetti said.
She said that was her intention, but along the way, she met people on the mountain with a similar feeling, and that was how she connected with one of the hike leaders, Justin Ashley, and he connected with someone in Nyanga, and they started planning monthly.
Saporetti said they have also done beach cleanups and swum in tidal pools.
“The kids love swimming, so we often will hike and then go to a tidal pool and swim,” she said.
Saporetti said transport is the biggest cost. They rely on donations and sponsorships from kindhearted people.
“A shout out to Pick n Pay in Constantia, who have just recently come on board to give us 167 sandwiches a month. That’s been a huge relief,” Saporetti said.
“I’ve got a man by the name of Yaseen at Giant Hyper in Cape Gate who, since the start, has donated water and chips.”
Saporetti said that from the donations, they buy fruit like oranges, bananas and apples.
She added: “I’ve got a huge dream to get sponsorship for new trainers for the kids, because not all of them have nice shoes.”
She also said this year she would love to get the children in the cable car and the aquarium.
