The two-man team of Neil Vlaming and Nick Cooke (also known as Jawbone 4 Kids Haven) will take on the Absa Cape Epic. The eight day mountain bike challenge will see them pedal across approximately 800km of off-road terrain to raise funds for sport at Kids Haven.  

This year’s race starts on the 13th March 2016 from Meerendal Wine Estate in Durbanville, Western Cape and the route takes riders to Tulbagh, Wellington, Stellenbosch and back to Meerendal Wine Estate on the 20th of March. It is the biggest two-person mountain bike challenge in the world and hosts local and international riders.  

Jawbone’s Neil Vlaming comments: “It became apparent to Nick and I that if we were going to put that much of our own energy into riding this race that we ought to have a bigger vision in mind. Kids Haven is an organisation that changes the lives of children with street connections using a range of programmes. Sport is one of the programmes that successfully helps children to develop their own talents, have fun, be physically active but also to be disciplined, focused and committed to a team. This is our own philosophy behind riding a race like this and connects us to what Kids Haven is doing child by child through soccer, netball, cricket and even dance. Our team wanted to make sure that our race would make a difference”.  

Jawbone 4 Kids Haven has already raised 91% of their R150 000 target to meet the annual budget to provide sport at Kids Haven. There are still some pledges that are being collected and the team is expectant that they are likely to raise a little over the R150 000 target.  

Kids Haven fundraiser Susan Daly thanks Neil and Nick for their extraordinary commitment to changing the lives of children through this extreme challenge; “We are incredibly grateful that Neil and Nick have been able to think of our children while preparing physically and mentally for a race like this. We know how important Sport is in bringing out the best in kids and look forward to seeing our boys and girls playing their hearts out in the practices and tournaments that they will enjoy in 2016 that will be made possible through Jawbone 4 Kids Haven.”  

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Kids Haven is a residential child and youth centre for children with street connections and other children with significant behaviour challenges. There are six core ideals that Kids Haven works towards for every child – being SAFE, being HEALTHY in body and mind, getting an EDUCATION, developing LIFE SKILLS and RESILIENCE that fosters GOOD MORALS and POSITIVE VALUES. There are 170 children living at Kids Haven and another 150 children living in community who are directly supported through the community work to prevent family disintegration and keep kids off the streets. www.kidshaven.org.za