Best Foot Forward

Driving 9,000 kilometres across rugged African terrain in just nine days sounds like the stuff of madness, or maybe dreams. But that dream is about to become reality for four women who are participating in a fundraising road trip this summer. 

Barcelona residents Julie Stephenson, Julia Fossi, Sharlene Halbert and Karen Holladay—collectively named the Hot Chili Chicas—aim to raise money for two charities whilst driving from Cape Town to Mozambique, via Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi. The Put Foot Rally, which involves more than 170 vehicles, is not a race, but rather a test of survival and endurance. The teams could face anything from environmental challenges, such as wild animals, unexpected heatwaves and dust storms, to geographical tests, such as deserts, canyons and mountain ranges. 

“Working in Southern Africa for a number of years has made me extremely aware of the huge disparity between our lives, what we have and what we can aspire to, and those of children from the areas I spend time in,” said Holladay, who runs tours in the region and participated in the Put Foot Rally in 2016. “I truly believe we all need to give back in whatever way we can.” 

For Julie Stephenson and Julia Fossi, who together founded Esperança, a charity that provides food, clothing and support to Barcelona’s homeless, Put Foot is a chance to extend their desire to make a difference to the lives of others in a different way. 

The rally is organized by the South African charity Put Foot Foundation, which has two main objectives. Firstly, to provide young children with a good pair of shoes—an essential, but often out of reach item in rural Africa. This year, the foundation hopes to distribute 6,000 pairs of sturdy, South African-made shoes at designated points along the route, together with school supplies, games and footballs. Secondly, funds will also be donated to the conservation of endangered wildlife in the area, such as rhinos, elephants, lions and leopards.

Each participating crew can also choose to raise money for a cause close to their hearts. The Hot Chili Chicas have chosen a non-profit association in Barcelona, the Associació d’Assistència a Dones Agredides Sexualment (AADAS). The charity was founded in 1982 by a group of women who had all been victims of sexual abuse, in order to support other women in similar situations across Catalunya. It provides services, such as psychological and legal support, to women and children. With the economic downturn after the global financial crisis of 2008, government funding was cut and the charity was forced to stop offering legal aid. AADAS desperately needs a cash injection to reinstate legal services, as well as to support other essential services.

The Hot Chili Chicas have pledged to raise more than €20,000 in the coming months, to be split between the two charities. The women are planning a number of fundraising events, from yoga, health talks and wardrobe clear-outs to live music and comedy. To find out more, follow on Facebook @hotchilichicas and Instagram @hotchilichicas.