A KuGompo City woman is preparing to take on Africa's highest mountain in December, but the real challenge she hopes to overcome is much closer to home.
Sonnette Stander is gearing up to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Guardians of Hope, a local home that cares for abandoned babies and vulnerable young children.
And before she sets off on her adventure, she is inviting the community to put on their finest evening wear for a night of inspiration, entertainment and fundraising.
The first Guardians of Hope Black Tie Gala will take place at the East London Golf Club on Friday, November 13, bringing together supporters of the organisation for an evening dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children.
Guardians of Hope founder Elaine Brenkman said the idea for the gala grew out of Stander's wish to share her Kilimanjaro challenge and encourage others to support the home.
Stander will use the evening to talk about her upcoming climb and the cause behind it, while two guest speakers will share their own stories of overcoming extraordinary challenges.
For Guardians of Hope, the occasion is about much more than an evening of glamour.
Established in 2017, the registered child and youth care centre provides a safe and loving home for children from birth to four years old who have been abandoned, surrendered for adoption or left in desperate circumstances.
Some of the children also require specialised medical attention or palliative care.
The centre can accommodate up to 30 children, providing not only food, shelter and round-the-clock care, but also the medical, emotional and developmental support they need during their earliest years.
Where possible, the organisation works with social services to reunite children with their families. When that is not in their best interests, it assists with foster care and adoption processes.
But keeping the doors open has become an increasingly difficult task.
Earlier this year, Guardians of Hope faced a financial crisis as donations dwindled and the cost of caring for vulnerable children continued to mount.
The organisation was forced to reduce its workforce and warned that it might have to cut the number of children it could accommodate.
And the need for its services shows no sign of slowing.
“We are running out of space, we can only do 30 children, and we are at least getting 13 to 15 calls per day for children that we just cannot accommodate,” Brenkman said.
It is this growing demand that makes fundraising initiatives such as Stander's Kilimanjaro climb particularly important.
The gala promises an evening of inspiring stories, with guest speakers Laura Wagner-Meyer and Louis Carstens joining the programme.
Wagner-Meyer will share her remarkable experience of being given just 48 hours to live, and how it changed her outlook on life and her determination to make every moment count.
Carstens, meanwhile, will speak about his ambition to conquer seven of the world's highest peaks, bringing another adventurous perspective to an evening inspired by Stander's own mountain challenge.
Organisers hope the speakers' stories will encourage guests to think about the challenges they face, the opportunities they have and the difference they can make in the lives of others.
There will also be good food, an opportunity to socialise and the chance to learn more about the work being done behind the scenes at Guardians of Hope.
For Stander, Kilimanjaro may be the mountain waiting to be conquered, but for the children at Guardians of Hope, the support generated by her adventure could make a difference much closer to home.
The Guardians of Hope Black Tie Gala takes place in the Albatross Room at East London Golf Club on Friday, November 13, at 7pm.
Tickets cost R500 and are available through Quicket. A cash bar will be available. The event is open to adults aged 18 and older.
