The Anna Foundation recently celebrated the launch of their new pump track. The 36 children who attend the Anna Foundation after-school on Buffet Olives farm in Paarl, built the bike track under the expert guidance of Eckhardt Kühn, activities manager at neighbouring farm, Cascade Country Manor. Among guests present at the launch were marathon and off-road stage race specialist, Adriaan Louw, current Junior SA DHI Champ, Coenie Slabbert, and staff from the Absa Cape Epic of for which the Anna Foundation is one of the Official Charities.
The Anna Foundation children were beyond excited upon learning they would have six brand new bikes to ride and could not wait to take to the track.
“The farm’s children – from Grade R to Grade 12 – all helped in building the track and have made it their own. The amount of energy and hard work they put in was way beyond above all expectation.” reports Buffet Olives’ farm manager, John Scrimgeour.
Eckhardt Kühn will supervise the Anna Foundation Bike Project and will coach the children every Friday afternoon, with a group ride taking place every second weekend. Eckhardt is also an avid downhill mountain-biker and is well known in MTB circles for tracks which he has built in the area which have been used for a number of elite riding events including the Absa Cape Epic (2016), WP Downhill Champs, Enduro Series and Downhill MTB SA Nationals Cup Series, to name a few. He will share not only his biking and mechanic-skills with the farm children but will also use this opportunity to teach valuable life skills.
“The bikes are a ‘carrot’ and the children understand the rule: No Read, No Ride!” says Anna Foundation director, Anna Brom. “Our learners know that they have to show responsibility and pull their weight in terms of completing school work, after-school attendance and attitude before they will be allowed on the track. The bikes are a tremendous incentive to the children in the rural communities in which we work. There is little to do on the farms, and sport can be used to make a significant difference in lifestyle and behaviour change, and also provide both hope and purpose. This will be a chance for them to learn responsibility, accountability and have goals to work towards as they will have the opportunity to train towards MTB events.”
In addition to the Anna Foundation education programmes and the teaching of life skills through drama, sports and physical development plays a significant part of their “3 R’s Programme: Reading, Running and Right-ing.” which is implemented in the afternoons on farms and within rural schools at various rural sites throughout the Western Cape. According to Brom, “This is the first pump track and we aim to duplicate this project on many more sites!”
For more information go to www.annafoundation.com
The Anna Foundation would like to thank Buffet Olives farm, Cascade Manor, Dragon Sports, Eckhardt Kühn and the ABSA Cape Epic for their roles in the Anna Foundation Bike Project.
