Leemisa Thuseho
CHARITY movement, Tour de Frontline (TdF), yesterday raised a total of M340 000 via its cycling tour in Maseru.
The event saw over 30 riders completing a 40km cycling tour. It started and finished at Maseru Mall.
This was the second time the TdF has organised the tour in Lesotho, the first being last year.
The TdF charity initiative was originally launched in Gauteng, South Africa, in 2020. Last year it expanded to other South African cities and neighbouring Botswana, eSwatini and Lesotho.
TdF chairman and founder, Semoli Mokhanoi, told the Sunday Express before yesterday’s event that they came up with the initiative to help raise funds for charity through cycling.
“The tour aims to raise funds for different initiatives that support the less privileged,” Mokhanoi said.
He said they were also trying to foster a relationship between corporate organisations and charities in areas like education, mental health and poverty alleviation.
“Charities can approach us with their proposals so that we can help find them corporate sponsors.”
The year’s main sponsor was financial service company, Akani.
Other corporate partners were Alliance Insurance Company, Lesotho National Broadcasting Services (LNBS), the Lesotho Times, The Market, Mergence, Stanlib, Eris Property Group and Cadiant Partners Consultants and Actuaries.
Mergence donated M50 000 each to Sepheo School and Cerebral Palsy Special Aid Trust Fund.
Cadiant Scholarships and Unheard Voices were blessed with cheques for M120 000 and M20 000 respectively from Cadiant Partners Consultants and Actuaries.
Stanlib gave M60 000 to Ministry of Hope Lesotho while Semonkong Children’s House and Matholeng Safe House each got M20 000 from Alliance Insurance Company.
The tour’s captain, Teboho Shelile, said they were happy to be part of the initiative.
“We are happy to be riding for a good cause as we encourage people to cycle to promote a healthy lifestyle,” Shelile said, who is also a veteran cyclist.
He said they would love to see corporates having their own personnel taking part in the cycling tour.
Last year the tour was a road event but this year they opted for biking because of Lesotho’s mountainous terrain.
The same event was held in Mbabane, Gaborone, Northern Cape, Limpopo, Port Elizabeth and KwaZulu- Natal, Johannesburg yesterday.
This was preceded by one held in Cape Town from 10 to 12 March.
