Hard economic times, a global pandemic, and an overwhelming fear of the future results in the ongoing rise of child abuse. It’s a very sombre thought.
“When these factors are taken out of the equation, child abuse and mental health among the South African youth remains ubiquitous. Our nation’s historical socio-economic factors have had a long-lasting effect on mental and emotional health on our children,” says Somerset West local Jaco van de Linde, founder of the Pedal Project. He adds that sport is a catalyst for the transformation of young minds. It provides children from under-resourced communities battling with trauma and discrimination with support.
The organisation follows the Laureus Sport for Good methodology, founded by Nelson Mandela, and now a global Sport for Development charity movement, with 200 programmes in 40 countries.
Jaco himself has an innate love for mountain biking.
“Cycling improves physical health, builds friendships, fosters a spirit of adventure, freedom, builds technical skills, provides jobs and more. Mountain biking gave me a sense of community, access to nature and the ability to explore new territories and landscapes. I wanted to share this incredible gift with those who need it most,” says Jaco.
Sport is a combination of intellectually and creatively challenging activities. Set this against the backdrop of nature, with experienced and caring mentors, and the un-navigated emotional mountains children are faced with daily become easier to climb.
Open to all children aged 10 – 13, Pedal Project is all about creating connections within the brain that help deal with the inevitable changes of adolescence. Their programme does this in a holistic and sustainable way. It allows children to become more resilient, helps build agency that leads to an increased level of engagement, both at school and home.
Professional mountain biker and Pedal Project Ambassador Andrew ‘Needles’ Neethling adds: “I firmly believe that the bicycle has the power to teach many lessons along the way, which will, in turn, help in life. It has been invigorating to see an organisation such as Pedal Project use this sport to grow and develop kids who may never have had this opportunity. The combination of learning a technical sport, enjoying new experiences and being outdoors with the guidance of mentors provide a solid foundation for psycho-social support to those who need it the most”.
Pedal Project’s ethos, like its programme partner, Waves for Change, is to help children deal with the onset of toxic stress, caused by adverse childhood experiences. These include physical and emotional abuse, racism, and community violence. The excessive and prolonged activation of the stress-response system leads to long-term effects on both body and brain. It also has a lot to do with climate and environmental education.
Says Jaco: “To use the opportunity out in green spaces to educate and inform about biodiversity, the importance of cleaning and greening, as well as making them aware of our vast fynbos biosphere, is shown to have a positive impact on mental health.”
The programme aligns environmental education with the school’s natural sciences curriculum.
The official launch event of the Pedal Project was held last Tuesday (15 March) to share in the excitement of the full pilot phase in 2022. “The launch was a success, I presented the programme, our ambitions, how we can roll it out, and also the vision for the future. “Our next outride will most likely only be after the school holidays. All the children are from Khayelitsha. We hope to expand to Helderberg,” adds Jaco. For more information and to get involved contact contact Jaco van der Linde at 061 155 6677 or email jaco@pedalproject.co.za
