17 cycling enthusiasts – all Standard Chartered Bank employees – today began a 400km cycle challenge from Gaborone to Johannesburg to raise funds for charity under the Bank’s recently launched Futuremakers initiative.
Futuremakers by Standard Chartered, is the Bank’s global initiative to tackle inequality and seeks to promote greater economic inclusion for young people in communities across the globe. Futuremakers supports disadvantaged young people from low-income households, particularly girls and people with visual impairments, to take part in programmes focused on education, employability and entrepreneurship. The initiative’s goal is to raise USD 50 million (through fundraising and Bank-matching) between 2019 and 2023 to empower the next generation to learn, earn and grow.
In August this year, Standard Chartered Bank Botswana – through Futuremakers – donated USD 50,000 (approximately BWP 550,000) to Young Africa Botswana (YAB) to run the tailor designed Futuremakers programme.
The 17 cyclists hail from the Bank’s offices in Botswana, South Africa, Mauritius, Zimbabwe and Zambia collectively known as the Southern Africa cluster. This employee-led initiative was developed by the team who sought to find a way to merge their passion for cycling and the desire to make a contribution to Futuremakers.
In his remarks, Standard Chartered Botswana CEO, Mr. Mpho Masupe commended the commitment shown by the team; “We are very proud of the ingenuity shown by this team and their desire to find their own unique way to contribute to Futuremakers. This is not simply a few days away from the office for the cyclists – they are giving themselves a very real challenge against the elements, their own fitness and to work together as a team. Their organisation and commitment is commendable.”
The riders have been fundraising in both their personal and collective capacity with pledges made on completion of their ride. The team will arrive in Johannesburg on Friday, 15 November.