The Comrades Charities List recently got an update for its next 3-year cycle, with two new charities added, including wildlife heroes, SANParks Honorary Rangers!
South Africa (18 October 2023) — The Comrades Marathon might be one of the toughest marathons in the world (unless you consider 90-odd kilometres casual), but it also happens to lend itself to humanity at its softest. This is strikingly apparent not just in the moments of kindness shared between racers and supporters, but also through the Comrades Charities focus, which recently got an update!
For the upcoming race cycles (2024, 2025 and 2026) the Comrades Marathon Association has announced its official charities. These will be the focus of the Amabeadiebeadi Charity Drive which has raised over R71 million since it began 27 years ago.
If you wondered why as many people put themselves through the gruelling feat of chasing pavements at the Comrades level, the answer is usually a sense of purpose.
Sometimes, purpose meets people at individual levels; the drive to prove yourself, to love what you can achieve and to feel a sense of indescribable pride. Other times, it lies in community; the opportunity to create extraordinary change by doing something well out of the ordinary.
The Comrades Charities List helps connect different realms of social impact with those ready to enact a great, gruelling adventure.
Most of the charities are existing charities, while place for two newer charities was also made thanks to the incredible addition of South African Parks Honorary Rangers and Childline KwaZulu-Natal.
SANParks Honorary Rangers are the only charity on the list whose primary focus is conservation efforts, making their mention a big win for South Africa’s wildlife and all those who contribute toward its care.
However, all of the charities make a big difference in their respective realms and deserve as much celebration (and maybe their own caduceus trophies) as the future runners who will fuel their missions further.
And the Official Charities Are:
- Community Chest of Durban and Pietermaritzburg
- Childhood Cancer Foundation
- Childline KZN
- Hillcrest Aids Centre Trust
- Rise Against Hunger Africa
- South African Parks Honorary Rangers
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