By Daanyaal Matthews
The Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) will soon head to Robben Island—not by ferry, but by swimming—to raise funds for humanitarian aid through Gift of the Givers. Swimmers will take part in a relay from Robben Island to Blouberg, covering a distance of nearly 8km. All proceeds raised will go toward supporting the Palestinian people.
Speaking on VOC NewsBeat, Dr. Karen Daniels, a PSC volunteer and one of the event organizers, explained that the initiative was born out of a desire to raise both awareness and funds for Palestinians, while also creating an engaging event for the public to watch or participate in.
“We saw a woman complete a False Bay crossing, and I said to a friend, ‘This draws so much attention—people stop and watch. We should do something similar for Gaza,’” Daniels recalled.
The event has attracted 24 volunteers, who will each swim a 1km leg of the race in a relay format. The swimmers have been divided into four groups, with each person handing off to the next to complete the nearly 8km challenge.
The fundraising effort has received widespread support, raising over R300,000 at the time of writing. Daniels noted that each swimmer has been working hard to contribute, often stepping out of their comfort zones.
“Our swimmers have really gone above and beyond. Some are well-connected and have used their networks, while others—many of whom are athletes new to activism—have reached out to family and friends to raise whatever they can,” Daniels said.
Listen to the full interview here:
