THE ‘Alles Wat Mal Is’ Hiking Club is set to host a peace walk on Saturday, July 6, to raise awareness about gangsterism in Port Elizabeth’s northern areas.
With the northern areas having experienced a high number of gang-related deaths in the past two months, Alles Wat Mal Is administrator and events planner, Stacey Welcome, said that the peace walk was intended to get youth off the streets and invest time in constructive recreation as opposed to drugs and gangsterism.
Under the hashtag #BethechangeUwant2C, the group is calling on all youth to participate in the 8km hike at Van Der Kemp’s Kloof in Bethelsdorp from 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturday, where a number of local artists will provide the entertainment.
Several motivational speakers, who were formerly gangsters but have since reformed, will also be in attendance to provide insights into the dangers of life as a gangster.
Having lost her brother-in-law in gang crossfire in 2015, Welcome is passionate about enlightening youth on the far-reaching effects of gangsterism.
It is with this in mind that the initiative was born, aiming at alleviating social pressures and norms associated with gangsterism, particularly in the northern areas of Nelson Mandela Bay.
“I, too, have lost someone close to me to gang violence, and that is why I have initiated the event, and I am even more motivated to make the walk a success,” said Welcome.
“Our club consists of a few executive members who recruit new members, plan the hikes so that they run smoothly and plan events such as these.
“We are not just a hiking club, but a family with one vision, and that is to make a change within our community,” Welcome added.
With the peace walk, the group is intentionally targeting the local youth and challenging them to rise above the status quo through increased community involvement and positive engagement in recreational activities, such as hiking.
People of all ages are welcome to partake in the hike at no cost to the public.
Anyone interested in assisting with the initiative, either through sponsorship or volunteering, can contact Stacey Welcome via WhatsApp at 073 946 9860 for more information.
