Put Foot Rally

2012 Put Foot Rally

Posted March 7, 2013

Neil Wallis, LifeNets Southern Africa trustee, took part in the 17 day, June 19-July 7, 2012 Put Foot Rally. It is a "Social Rally" which took him through South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Botswana. The distance he travelled was 7000 kilometers (4350 miles). Participants could use any kind of vehicle and take any route.

Neil and Bakkie Neil and his bakkie

The rally helped raise LifeNets awareness as his vehicle had LifeNets insignia and our URL. The Rally was publicised on the Internet and TV. LifeNets Southern Africa affiliate thought it would allow the LifeNets name good exposure for future fund raisers.

The rally objective is to enjoy a variety of African places with a specific cause to receive the donations provided. This year it was Project Rhino an effort to fight rhino poaching which of late has been a big problem in southern Africa.

Neil Wallis describes the event:

I heard about the Put Foot Rally last year and watched the video on You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWXnforLzZw and then decided it was something I had to do because it just looked like so much fun.

I happened to secure a ticket by chance and last minute about two weeks before the rally so I found someone brave enough to come with me on this unplanned trip. I looked for sponsors. I suggested we put LifeNets stickers on the side of the vehicle since all the vehicles on the trip had some sort of branding on them. Firstly, it just looked really cool having your vehicle full of stickers and being part of this whole group and secondly It would be free exposure. The chances of the vehicle being photographed and put on social media sites was there and that way we could get exposure. Everyone on the rally had some sort of interest in bettering the world so many people asked about LifeNets, so it was an opportunity to try to let people know we exist and for what reason.

The Put Foot rally was started by a company in Cape Town called Mountain Shack Adventures. Their goal was to prove to people that it is safe to travel Southern Africa and that you don't need a 4x4. It was to encourage people to do it and spend money in the different countries and to interact with locals and make a difference in their lives in some way or another.

They started a foundation called the Put Foot Foundation. With this rally they managed to raise over R500 000 which is used to buy school shoes. We attended a shoe drop in Zambia where school children were given a new pair of school shoes and socks, we painted the classrooms, fixed the class floors, put foot foundation prior to our arrival put in a borehole with a pump for water etc. They have various shoe drop events during the year which I'm planning to attend. It was quite fun.

I just went on the rally because its something I really wanted to do and used the opportunity to get involved and give LifeNets some exposure.

Some of the money they raise also goes to Project Rhino to help with the huge rhino poaching problem Africa faces.

Check out www.putfootrally.com if you want to see some more videos and information.

Have a nice day!

- Neil