Local Cyclists to Crowdfund for Zip Zap Circus

The Cape Town roads are bustling with thousands of avid cyclists gearing up for the largest timed cycle race in the world. Some cyclists have chosen to unite for a common cause – to fundraise for their favourite non-profit organisation, Zip Zap Social Circus.

Zip Zap is a social circus based in Cape Town that uses circus arts as a tool for youth development and social transformation. Working with children from diverse backgrounds Zip Zap’s mission is to provide ordinary children and youth at risk with the resources to develop both performance and life skills that enable them to develop as young leaders and good citizens and to make them eminently employable.

Jade Palmer and Kayla-J Aucamp / Photo Credit: Irene McGullagh

What started as a protest race to encourage the safety of cyclists on Cape Town’s busy roads, has now evolved into one of the largest timed cycle races in the world, with a strong focus on raising funds for charities. It is one of Cape Town’s annual highlights and has drawn cyclists from across the globe. This year, Zip Zap’s fund-racers have set themselves ambitious targets on donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy, and are appealing for your support.

Collectively the cyclists have raised a total of R 34 518.09 on BackaBuddy towards their fundraising target of R40 000 with contributions from 57 donors.

“I am supporting Zip Zap because of the incredible impact they have on South Africa’s rainbow children. Their youth and outreach programs are hosted for free for ordinary children and youth-at-risk. Zip Zap is only able to do this great work through donations like these. Please help me contribute to sustaining their programs,” says cyclist, Nic Good.

Nic Good is among the cyclists taking on the Cape Town Cycle Tour for Zip Zap.

The Cycle Tour fund-racers have set personal targets raising funds for Zip Zap’s Jumpstreet program – a partnership with the SOS Children’s Village in Thornton, Cape Town. Zip Zap provides bi-weekly circus workshops to promote personal growth and wellbeing in youth from unstable domestic and/or community situations.

Zip Zap’s CEO and co-founder, Laurence Esteve, is also cycling and leading the fundraising charge.

“We are super grateful for our amazing team of cyclists this year. We salute them for making a difference in the lives of the next generation of circus performers,” says Laurence.

Pictured above: Laurence and Pierre Esteve

The Zip Zap cyclists taking part in the Cape Town Cycle Tour are:

Florian Thiele
Deon van Schalkwyk
Hannes Slabbert
Ryan McCormick
Nic Good
Thierry Albrand
Pierre Esteve
Victoria Engelhorn-Nel
Laurence Esteve
Tristan Blandin de Chalain

About Zip Zap Social Circus:

Zip Zap Circus is a social circus that was founded in Cape Town in 1992, to inspire young people and help build a new culture of peaceful coexistence in South Africa. Working with a diverse community of children from all backgrounds, Zip Zap helps kids to ‘dare to dream’ and learn to make those dreams a reality. Zip Zap’s programs are all free to participants, with financial and material support coming from individuals, organisation, corporations, and foundations. In South Africa and the world, Zip Zap is recognized across Governments, Ministries of Education, Tourism, Arts & Culture, and private societies, as a major contributor to the development within the iconic ‘Mother City’ and providing sustainability of the circus arts in South Africa.