The Simunye Project


Posted on February 20, 2012 - by

Make A Splash for Cash

Make a Splash for Cash

An Australian world swimming champion and a Beijing Olympian will be making waves in Mt Waverley to help orphans and under privileged children in South Africa. Matt Targett was part of the gold medal winning relay team at the World Championships last year and is gunning for gold in London. Backstroker, Sophie Edington, is a veteran of international swimming, performing strongly in the Beijing Games. The pair will join forces in a 24-hour swim marathon at the Huntingtower pool, Mt Waverley, from midday on Saturday February 25 to Sunday February 26th.

The Olympians will help locals swim the distance from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park. Money raised will go toward the Simunye Project – which strives to improve and expand educational facilities for disadvantaged communities in South Africa. Recent projects have included the provision of hundreds of pairs of children’s shoes, installing a septic tank system and building a children’s playground.

Since its founding in 2006 in Melbourne, the Simunye Project has raised in excess of $100,000 dollars. Over the past five years, Year 11 Huntingtower students have been offered the opportunity to raise money for Simunye and then deliver the aid first hand, thus providing a unique experience for young people to become a catalyst for change. The children and often their families and teachers have helped build facilities in preschool and primary schools at the gate to the Kruger National Park.

A DJ will keep the Splash for Cash swimmers going through the night with the 2012 Simunye students taking the graveyard shift. Telstra has generously donated mobile phones for prizes and $2500 for uniforms for the Simunye students to wear during their volunteer work.

Telstra¹s Area General Manager Vicky Allen said, “We are proud to be involved in this activity. Supporting this event is about giving back to the local community, it is a great opportunity for us to reach out, which will enable the kids to help out with The Simunye Project”.

Matt Targett will swim at 6pm and Sophie Edington on Sunday morning.

For photo and/or interview opportunities, please call Mel Beal on 9831-9437.


Posted on February 20, 2012 - by

Flash Mob @ Federation Square, Melbourne

Flash Mob Newspaper Article


Posted on October 20, 2010 - by

Thank-you Amazing Racers!

We realise we’re a tad late with this thank-you message, but better late than never, no? Plus we’ve been really busy planning for our upcoming trip – more to come!

The Amazing Simunye Race was one of our most ambitious fundraisers yet, and we’re bursting with pride to report that it was a huge success. Nearly 200 people met us at Federation Square to launch the race, and thankfully the same number met us again at the final checkpoint around two-hours later (phew!). We had teams of all ages, including young families, university students, baby boomers and generally anybody who excelled in amazing-racing. Those who raced encountered challenges both physical and mental, which left most racers significantly confused or exhausted long into the evening.

Thank-you to all who came, raced, and told their friends about the amazing time they had. We’re so glad you enjoyed yourselves, as we’ve worked incredibly hard to make donating to a charity fun and rewarding. Your participation will make a real difference, and we’re so grateful.

Fancy running your own race? We’ll almost certainly be Amazing-Racing again, but if you’d like to run your own race (perhaps as a corporate team-building exercise or as your Christmas party) then get in touch, we’d love to help.

Click through to see the timing and final placings!

(more…)


Posted on July 26, 2010 - by

The Amazing Simunye Race

Here comes our most exciting fundraiser yet: The Amazing Simunye Race!

The Amazing Simunye Race

Race through the streets of Melbourne and win fantastic prizes in The Amazing Simunye Race. All proceeds support The Simunye Project’s December 2010 aid trip to South Africa and allow us to make a real difference to children in underprivileged communities.

Starting at Federation Square, The Race challenges your speed, intelligence, sense of direction and local knowledge. Complete a challenge at each top-secret checkpoint, then solve cryptic clues to navigate your way between the remaining locations!

Prizes up for grabs include:
  • Gym memberships
  • iPod nano
  • BONDS Clothing packs
  • Speaker Systems & Headphones
  • Cosmetics Gift Baskets
  • Photo Printers
  • Digital Photo Frames
  • Wines
  • Much more!

More information →

All are welcome, but to participate you must register and pre-pay at http://simunye.webfactional.com/theamazingrace/. (This is so we can put your team pack together and arrange for your free dinner at the top-secret endpoint).

With over four months of planning so far, this is set to be our best fundraising event ever. Don’t miss it!


Posted on April 28, 2010 - by

Trench digging and plumbing at Tshepang

When we found the area to start our low-ropes course, we couldn’t help but notice there was a foul stench in the air. This was traced back to blocked-up grease-trap where the kitchen waste-water ended up (with repulsive doll floating in the top). Joel said “We just need is PVC pipe, we can do this”. So the following morning we got some PVC piping, joins and sealant and Mr Newman became the head apprentice plumber, leading a team of trenchers and plumbers.

Facing such obstacles as digging through rocks, tree roots and joining pipes at strange angles, the team came together and achieved an amazing result. The smell was completely gone by completion, opening up a wonderful new area to the children to play in.


Posted on April 25, 2010 - by

Shoes to 240 children at Tshepang

We sorted the shoes by size then welcomed the Tshepang children in to choose a pair of new shoes! What an exciting day!

Shoe Fitting at Tshepang

Thanks to the following people for organising and donating shoes:

  • Jedwab Family
  • Syndal South Primary School Families
  • Huntingtower Junior School Families

(more…)


Posted on April 18, 2010 - by

A Kitchen for New Life Daycare

Silence has been in contact with Susan who runs the Tshepang programme in Johannesburg. Susan helped Silence to obtain funding from Old Mutual Bank to enable her to purchase supplies and labour to build toilet blocks to the required ratio (1 toilet per 15 kids) in order to obtain minimal ongoing government funding. All the building supplies have arrived, she is now searching for a good builder to start construction.

We spent one and a half days at New Life day care this time and constructed a new outdoor kitchen for Silence. Her old kitchen has been a concern for some years – we had done some minor patch-up jobs on it on the last 2 trips, replacing logs which had been eaten completely away by termites, and patching up the roof which provided barely any protection. (more…)


Posted on April 16, 2010 - by

April 2010 Success

We’re back! Look forward to seeing all the latest news posted up in the next few days!


Posted on April 5, 2010 - by

15 Outdoor Tables built for Manyeleti Primary School


Posted on March 21, 2010 - by

Welcome to thesimunyeproject.com

The new Simunye Project website will make it easier, faster and much more fun to visualise the work we’re doing in South Africa. It’s been born so we can show those at home how hard we’re working to make a difference, and to make it easier for you to get involved and show your support.

Check back often for news on upcoming events, new projects and to see photo galleries from our latest trip. Whilst trips are active, check back daily for twitter updates, photos and maybe even video!