Uniting for a good cause
Princess Charlene of Monaco and her foundation join forces with celebs to uplift communities during pandemic
MARCHELLE ABRAHAMS
THE SPIRIT of Ubuntu is reaching a crescendo as organisations and citizens answer the call to action to do their part to alleviate hunger and unemployment.
Princess Charlene of Monaco is using her platform to connect with more than 70 celebrities, sports stars and their various charities.
The former SA Olympic swimmer and the Princess Charlene Foundation of Monaco South Africa, in collaboration with some South African celebrities and global NGOs, have launched a social awareness initiative that aims to inspire, save lives and impact communities with the #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge. The celebrity with the most votes wins the challenge. One person stands a chance of winning a trip to the Monaco GP 2021.
Among the ambassadors taking part are Bryan Habana, Kurt Darren, Jeannie D, Melinda Bam, Gareth
Cliff, Terence Parkin, Victor Matfield, Juandré Kruger, Kefilwe Mabote, Margaret Hirsch, Louis Oosthuizen and Angelique Gerber Potgieter.
Thus far, the #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge has reached more than 500 000 people and been extended to next week Tuesday.
The foundation has implemented projects in Cape Town, KwaZuluNatal and Gauteng, reaching out to underprivileged youth and teaching them how to enjoy the benefits of sport. The foundation is creating awareness around Covid-19, donating thousands of face masks and helping those in need.
To find out more, we chatted to foundation director and Charlene’s sister-in-law, Chantell Wittstock.
Q: Explain the #strongtogether initiative and what the challenge entails.
A: We’re creating a platform where we can collaborate with charities, foundations and celebrities to create awareness and reach as many people from all walks of life to help provide relief assistance to the devastation caused by Covid-19.
Q: Getting so many celebrities to participate must have been a challenge. How did your foundation accomplish this?
A: The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation has been going since 2012 and she is a passionate South African who has been involved in many initiatives alongside many of our celebrity ambassadors. Her foundation has reached more than 500 000 children worldwide. When we introduced the #strongtogether concept to our celebrity ambassadors, they immediately jumped on board.
Q: Overall, what has the response to the campaign been?
A: We have been overwhelmed. Not only do we have 70 ambassadors but we are receiving requests daily from people wanting to get involved. We have fantastic support from the public, our ambassadors, community leaders and businesses.
Q: Does Charlene plan to visit South Africa when it is safe to do so?
A: She is passionate about her foundation; she has a passion for saving lives and transforming lives of children across the world through sport and education. She will visit South Africa as soon as she can.
Q: Are there plans to do more outreach work in SA?
A: The foundation will continue to raise public awareness around the dangers of water and drowning, to teach children preventative measures to decrease water-related morbidity and mortality, and to teach people how to swim, through our sports and education programmes and forge new collaborations with in SA and other countries.
Q: Does your foundation have a special message for SA children?
A: The foundation’s role and message to children has always been to inspire and to bring hope. To help children realise they have the potential to be anything they want to be. The foundation is about children who can become great adults if we collectively show them the way forward with strong sports value and solidarity.
You can follow and take part in the #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the foundation’s website.
The public can support their celebrity by visiting pcmfsa.com/ ambassadors/ and donate to a campaign, or enter a competition where they stand a chance to join them at the F1 Monaco GP in 2021 and a five-day stay at the five-star Etali Safari Lodge in Madikwe.