Seven African Countries, 17 Days, seven check-points and over 7000 kilometres for charity
South Africa – June 2012 – In its second year of existence, the 2012 Put Foot Rally will tour across seven Southern African countries and this year mapIT will be the mapping sponsor for two of the teams supporting the Project Rhino cause, one of the event’s official charities. In partnership with MiX Telematics, the official tracking sponsor, mapIT will be rooting for Team International and Goofy Gophers as they undertake the 17 day-long, 7000 kilometre journey.
Team International and Goofy Gophers have had MiX Telematics tracking units fitted into their vehicles, which will enable a direct feed to a designated website. “As a result, supporters will be able to track the progress of both teams in real-time, 24 hours a day,” says Charles Tasker, Managing Director of MiX Telematics (International), adding, “The technology opens up a window for supporters who wish to engage with the teams thoughout their journey; in turn, this will help to generate exposure and awareness about both the event and the charitable cause.”
“This expedition is the perfect opportunity to not only support a worthy cause close to the heart of all South Africans, but also to showcase mapIT’s unique abilities of mapping African terrain,” says Etienne Louw, Managing Director of mapIT. “mapIT’s affiliation with the campaign will not end this year, but in 2013 we aim to track all teams taking part in the rally, which will allow supporters to follow their favourite teams,” states Louw. The teams can be followed on the public-facing mapping site – http://putfootrally.mapit.co.za/
This year’s rally comprises 60 teams (250 participants) who will journey to Southern Africa’s most unique landmarks in support of the Put Foot Foundation and Project Rhino. Each team pays for, or raises sponsorship, for their own crew’s running costs. In addition, they canvass donations from individual and corporate bodies alike, which aid the two official charities. Donations to the charities are made through the www.GivenGain.com internet portal.
The purpose of this rally is to create public awareness and raise funds for two official charities: The Put Foot Foundation, which provides leather school shoes for African children in struggling communities; and “Project Rhino,” an association of groups fighting rhino poaching in Kwa-Zulu Natal. This year, the Put Foot Foundation, (a volunteer-based, Public Beneficiary Organisation (PBO)), aims to purchase and distribute between 600 and 1000 pairs of leather school shoes to barefooted school-children in impoverished African countries. Furthermore, this rally proves that 4×4’s are not needed to travel across Southern Africa and that Southern Africa is accessible, safe, fun and affordable.
Follow Team International and Goofy Gophers on http://putfootrally.mapit.co.za/ keeping track of their progress from Johannesburg – Fish River Canyon – Etosha Pan – Caprivi Strip – Victoria Falls – Lake Kariba – Lusaka – Lake Malawi – Vilankoulos – Inhambane – Maputo – Johannesburg.
About mapIT
mapIT offers businesses high quality digital maps with accurate and extensive coverage of Sub-Saharan Africa and across the globe. Furthermore they offer this map data on the world’s foremost Location Based Services (LBS) platform, mapIT are an all-encompassing digital mapping company. Working together with TomTom Africa, Avusa and Partners, mapIT establishes innovative and comprehensive suites of digital mapping platforms to position itself as the leading international enabler of accurate location-based platforms throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. For more information visit http://www.mapit.co.za
About MiX Telematics
Founded in 1995, MiX Telematics is a global provider of driver safety, vehicle tracking and fleet management products and services to consumers and companies of all sizes in 111 countries across six continents. The company’s commercial product range helps fleet owners ensure driver and passenger safety, reduce fleet running and fuel costs, comply with industry regulations, and track and protect vehicles and drivers. Commercial customers include Parmalat, Schlumberger, Chevron, Greyhound, Spar, De Lijn, Vectalia-Subus and Scania. MiX Telematics has offices in South Africa, Uganda, the United Kingdom, North America, Australia, and the United Arab Emirates, and works via an extensive global distribution network. For more information please visit www.mixtelematics.com
