Media personality Thando Thabethe chats to us about celebrating the fifth anniversary of her annual Thando Thabethe Women’s Day Challenge. By Kwanele Mathebula
Image: Thando Thabethe IG
I am excited to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Thando Thabethe Women’s Day Netball challenge. I am amazed at how fast the time has gone by, how much the team and I have manged to learn, communicate and raise over the past four years.
Funding the event remains our biggest challenge. Although participants pay a fee to be part of the activities, it’s still not enough to run the event. Getting corporate companies to commit to contributing financially is difficult which puts our beneficiaries at a disadvantage. With that said, we do have support from our sponsors who have been with us since day one such as City Of Johannesburg, FNB, Spree, 5FM, The aesthetic studio, Mangwanani, Ndlao Media, Varsity Sports, Samsung, Sausage Saloon. ABI and Smashbox. Without them, running the event wouldn’t be possible.
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The message behind the event is the reason it’s garnered so much support over the years. Every year my amazing friends and colleagues come together to not only celebrate women, but to help create dialogue about the injustices women face. The support has been overwhelming and encouraging for me, as well as being able to donate to our beneficiaries such as the Nisa Institute for women development.
The #TTWDNC aims to highlight gender inequality, fight women abuse and celebrate women’s day!!! This years theme is #PlayingItForward…dedicate your participation to a woman who has triumphed or a cause you feel strongly about!!! What are you #PlayingItFoward for? pic.twitter.com/7a22FrEdez
— Thando Thabooty (@Thando_Thabethe) July 24, 2018
My aim is to grow the event and have it take place in other parts of the country. I also want to grow it in all corners of our continent and have it raise money that will go towards alleviating the pains and inequality girls and women have to face daily. This year, all the proceeds we raise will go to the Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre.
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We’ve changed things up for the upcoming netball challenge. For starters, we’re hosting the event at the Klipspruit Multi-purpose Centre in Soweto. We’re looking forward to all the teams that will be taking part in the netball challenge and of course, the celebrity match which will see all your favourite personalities battle it out in a male versus female game.
We are doing it in the name off all the women who suffer in the hands of their intimate partners, those who experience gender inequality and for the love of the women in SA #TTWDNC #PlayingItFoward
— Thando Thabooty (@Thando_Thabethe) July 18, 2018
People can register online to be part of the netball challenge. All the details are available on my website thandothabethe.com.
