Rudy van Dieman (26), a tour guide for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway, began 2022 with an ambitious goal: to achieve 365 summits up Table Mountain, for charity.
The challenge, which began on 1 January 2022, and will end on the 31st December 2022, came about as a means to show youngsters the power of a strong work ethic and demonstrate that they can achieve anything they set their hearts and minds to.“What youngsters in our society need today, is a good role model, to show them that there are opportunities outside of drugs, crime and gangsterism. I hope my challenge will be a beacon of hope for those in disadvantaged communities,” says Rudy.
Rudy, who has worked with several charities since matriculating high school in 2014, is focused this year on uplifting a new organisation, Angels SA, located in his hometown of Mitchells Plain, Cape Town. With a crowdfunding campaign launched on Backabuddy, Rudy hopes to raise R1 Million, which the organisation can use to purchase a safe house for children.
Since the launch of his campaign Rudy has raised almost R5000, with kind contributions from 17 donors. Thus far, Rudy has completed 44 climbs up Table Mountain, covering a distance of over 100 km, and has been joined by more than 15 individuals supporting his cause.
“Working full-time, living with epilepsy, and struggling financially, with the physical demands of his challenge, has been difficult but no less rewarding. Just as life is difficult for so many people, this challenge hasn’t been a walk in the park, but I remain positive, and through God’s grace I am finding balance. I am putting one foot in front of the other, concentrating on the important things in life and trying my best to create positive change,” says Rudy.
