“It was the first time for me in a country that poor! I was devastated.” Katja said.
We went to dinner one evening and where sitting outside a restaurant, where kids came up to us begging. The restaurant owner came running out and chased them away. I remember the eyes of a little boy looking at me till today. He looked hungry, but I wasn’t sure, maybe they just wanted money. So after dinner we drove to a grocery store and bought some bread, fruit and cookies. Then we drove back down to the harbor to look for the kids, we didn’t have to look long, they where hanging out there. We drove up and I waved to them to come over, I was really nervous at that point, what if they where on drugs and would get mad at me for bringing food. I definitely did not want to give them money.
The oldest, biggest boy came over, obviously the leader of the group. When he saw the food, he called the other kids over and I will never forget the smiles on their faces. We had just bought them dinner; they would not have to go to sleep hungry for one night. It made me really happy … for a second. But them I also couldn’t believe it, they where really that hungry, they had begged because they didn’t have the most essential thing in live: food. They had been chased away, while we had not been able to finish the big portion that was given to us for dinner. I was devastated… and I knew that I wanted to do something…

I wasn’t sure where to start. The resort we stayed at was totally separated and secured to the outside. The intention was obviously to keep us away, maybe also save.
I asked the person on the reception, if there was some project to help the kids in the area. She was very timid at first and did not want to talk about it. But the next day she called me to the desk and said here is somebody you should talk to. I met Gerald. He had started a little project for the children of Sands.

His project focused on getting the children food and education. “Every child in South Africa has the chance to visit a school; schools are provided by the government. But the problem is most kids from the slums don’t make it through school. The often do not even have a table to study, many of their parents died of AIDS, there is nobody to help with homework and give them the support and encouragement they need to keep up in school.” He was trying to provide all that.

I liked him a lot and the next day met him to visit a school. And the little house he had build for the children to come after school and get help with their homework. We also visited a home in the slums of Sands, a family with 3 children living in 2 tiny rooms. There was hardly enough space to sleep them all, but the home was spotless and the mother greeted us with so much friendliness, I couldn’t believe it could actually dangerous in that neibourhood, but I was wrong. People are very poor and crime is high. Gerald was known to help so we where save. At least so he told us.

The idea behind his project was to have the older students, who are trying to make it to the next school and out of Sands, to help the younger once. The pay for the students to work and encourage the younger kids where book, that they needed to keep studying and weren’t able to afford it. I really liked the idea I wish I would have been able to give a million $, but as a professional triathlete my sources are a little more limited and so and I decided to race for the cause. A percentage of my price money would go to Gerald’s project.

It was a completely different experience racing not only for me but for the future of some kids in South Africa. Not having my best day I came of the bike in 5th. Running down the first mile I saw about 20 black little kids on the side of the road. They where standing out, because all the spectators so far had been white. They where holding signs. As running closer I read my name, it said: GO KATJA! I couldn’t believe it. They had come out to the race to cheer me on.

You wouldn’t believe how much, that meant to me, and how hard I ran after seeing them out there. Holding those signs. I really wanted to help them and 5th place price money wasn’t very much. I had to fight, I dug deep and made it into 3rd. Turning the corner to the finish line the children where still there, the teacher pointed me out and they came running down the road cheering: Go Katja Go! They ran with me for a little and crossing that finish line I had tears in my eyes. It felt very, very special. I had no chance to see them again after the race. So I asked my friend to contact Gerald, I really wanted to see them the next day and thank them, for being out there and supporting me.

The day after an Ironman the fatigue and soreness is brutal; I rolled out of bed, and hobbled to the car. We where meeting the little group of kids, not all of them had been able to come today, in a parking lot next to a church in Gordons Bay. We drove up and I saw them dance and sing in the parking lot with Gerald and one of the teachers. They looked
Happy, it was great. We went to get ice cream, ordering I asked one of them:” Do you want a big one or a small portion?” Not all of them speak English, but he understood that: “BIG!” he said, with a shy smile. The teacher stepped in right away saying small once would be just fine.
I bought them all big portions and it was just great to see them loving it. Many of the kids had never had an ice cream in their lives and I will never forget the eyes of them when I handed each one their cone. It was so special. Later back at the car, they sang me a: “Good By song”, that they had rhymed with my name earlier that morning. I still get tears in my eyes thinking about the kids of Sands.

Back home I organized a bike tour for the kids of Sands and raised another 1000 $. I hope the money helped a little, if just one kid could make it get an education and move on to a good live. I never made it back there. The race got moved and I lost contact after the teachers email didn’t work anymore. I am not sure why, I really hope the Sands project still exists.

Some days training and racing I wish I could have done more, or do something like it again. We get so caught up in our lives and what we do, and do not have time.
Today I feel the kids of Sands gave me way more, than I gave them!

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