South Africans Show Their #strongtogether Spirit

Since the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa launched its #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge on 26 May 2020, the 70 Celebrity Ambassadors and their fans have exceeded every expectation!

They have been creating awareness of the #strongtogether initiative on social media and getting their supporters to vote, donate, or enter the raffle competition to raise funds for incredibly worthy charities on the Foundation’s website. The flood of support has been overwhelming.

Although the fantastic prizes might hold some motivation for the triumphant Celebrity Challenger and their most engaged fan, the campaign’s ambassadors have been sharing, doing live auctions, making videos, providing their own prizes, and doing so much to support the 35 charities, the #strongtogether initiative, and the Foundation.

Thus far, the #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge has reached over 500 000 people, and a corporate challenge was launched with various corporate sponsors kickstarting a new phase of the campaign. Not to mention the outpouring of generosity from fans, celebrities, and corporates! The Challenge has even been extended until 16 June as so many people want to show their ubuntu spirit! The campaign has definitely brought out the competitive spirit in the fierce celebrity contenders.

The pictures the celebrities are sharing have also shown that you can indeed see a smile behind a mask! The celebrities, including Kefilwe Mabote, Bryan Habana, Jeannie D, Percy Montgomery, Gary Player, and more, are doing good, having a ton of fun, and bringing the heat on social media.

The Foundation is grateful to every person who is not only spreading the word about #strongtogether but who realises that creating awareness is not enough. The success of this Challenge so far is owed to the fact that South Africans understand ubuntu. They know that we need to put actions to our words to stop the epidemics of COVID-19 and drowning.  

The Foundation Director, Chantell Wittstock, said, “We have been overwhelmed with the amazing response of celebrities, the general public, people’s willingness to get on board, to jump on this and help us make a difference.”

The Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation is passionate about water safety and education through sport. Statistics show that almost 3 000 people drown in South Africa every year. And across the world, there are nearly 400 000 people who drown annually. The sad fact is that almost 90% of these deaths are preventable!

Drowning rates are the highest for children under five. They are the most exposed to drowning hazards, but they are also the best vehicle for relaying life-saving knowledge to their parents, family, and the community at large. In solidarity with the #strongtogether movement, the Foundation is saying “Enough is enough! These pandemics have hurt our children and our people for far too long. One life lost is one too many.”

You can follow and partake in the #strongtogether Celebrity Challenge on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and the Foundation’s website. Whether you choose to vote and encourage, donate or enter the raffle to win the trip to Monaco, every little bit shows how we are #strongtogether. Let’s unite and come together in solidarity against this pandemic and drowning which steal so many precious lives.