RUN WILD FOR RHINOS RUNNING EXPEDITION 2022

The 2022 Run Wild for Rhinos start at Founders Lodge

Sharon Jessop a rhino conservationist, adventurer and expeditioner from Gqeberha is at it again. Sharon and her team will start a 3000+km, 91 day journey on 22 September 2022, World Rhino Day in the name of rhino conservation, tourism, conservation communities and to honor the rangers and members of anti-poaching units who are in the field day in and day out. These guys face real dangers as we saw a couple of weeks ago with the brutal assassination of ranger Anton Mzimba.

The aim of this running expedition is to raise massive awareness for rhino conservation, tourism and conservation communities as well as raise much needed funds for credible rhino conservation, anti-poaching initiatives and conservation communities in the three provinces that Jessop will be running through. It also forms part of the One Land Love It Foundation’s OLLIMove initiative whereby people all over the world is encouraged to move for rhino conservation.

Jessop will symbolically link the rhino-bearing game reserves together in the fight against rhino poaching by requesting each reserve to sign a pledge recommitting to rhino conservation. A copy of this pledge will be sent to government and other relevant organisations.

“It often happens that the rangers join in the runs and wherever we go people will be encouraged to run a bit with me, the more the merrier and while they are running with me I have a golden opportunity to raise the issue of rhino conservation with them.” says Jessop. Athletics clubs, social runners and even non-runners are invited to do their bit for rhino conservation, as long as you are willing to donate time, money or your efforts and talents.

Sharon says that she believes that ordinary people could make an extraordinary difference to the conservation landscape if they only realized that they are the voices of conservation, they hold the power. All it takes is to tap into your own superpower and do what you do best!

Furthermore the team will engage with conservation communities, schools and other organisations along the way to do conservation awareness talks and encourage others to also “move from caring to doing”.

All the game reserves, hotels and lodges where the team will be staying in all three provinces will be promoted on social media as tourism destinations as this year Jessop will be showcasing her running expedition as a social media reality show. So do make sure that you are part of her Run Wild for Rhinos Facebook group to follow the team’s progress, trials and tribulations.

Sharon starts her run on World Rhino Day, 22 September 2022 from the Donkin Reserve in Gqeberha as Wayne Bolton from the One Land Love It Foundation ends his “Forever Rhino Ride” cycling expedition which is currently underway. This symbolizes the “joint custody” amongst role players in rhino conservation.

Wayne is cycling with a wooden rhino horn baton to Gqeberha and upon his arrival the baton will be divided into four pieces, Sharon will receive one of the pieces and it will accompany the team during the three months on the road only to be joined together at a ceremony in Gqeberha early in 2023.

Jessop will finish her running expedition on 21 of December 2022 at the Lebombo Border Post between South Africa and Mozambique outside the town of Komati Poort. Says Jessop: “The finish at the Lebombo Border Post is significant as a lot of our poached rhino horn exits South Africa via this border post as it literally shares a fence with the Kruger National Park.”

Some of the fundraising initiatives include a commemorative limited edition rhino coin that members of the public can purchase as well as reaching out to corporates to sponsor an amount per kilometer run. The fundraising campaign will be set up on the crowdfunding platform Sport for Lives and from there the funds will be distributed to the five beneficiaries of this running expedition. This means that everything is traceable and auditable.

The team also want to thank their generous sponsors: Amobia, Chill Beverages, Scope Oils, Kwande Craft Gin, The Music Kitchen, Design Depot, Plantation Tonic, Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism, Dr James Vlok – chiropractor, the Andrew Ziehl Foundation and all the game reserves and guesthouses along the route.

For more details on the fundraising initiatives or to assist with sponsorships please visit the Run Wild for Rhinos Facebook group or Jessop’s website www.sharonjessop.co.za, Sharon can also be reached on mobile number 061 510 4657 or on email sharon@sharonjessop.co.za should you be able to assist.