A 24-hour community cycling challenge has raised R900,000 to help VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy provide education, sport, nutrition and personal development programmes to children in Langa.
The sixth annual VUSA 24-Hour Cycle Challenge brought the Bishops community together on 4 and 5 September, with stationary bicycles kept moving continuously for 24 hours.
Schools, businesses, families, volunteers and individual riders formed teams and cycled throughout the night, raising funds through BackaBuddy to sustain and expand VUSA’s programmes.
The latest R900,000 contribution continues the growth of an initiative that began during the Covid-19 pandemic as an emergency response to protect ten coaching jobs and keep programmes operating for 160 children.
Six years later, VUSA reaches more than 2,000 children and employs 30 staff delivering programmes across education, sport, nutrition and personal development.
“The Cycle Challenge began during Covid at a time when we were simply trying to keep our coaches employed and our programmes running,” said Nikki Matthews, Chief Operating Officer of VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy.
“Six years later, it is incredible to see how the event has grown and how the community continues to rally behind our children. Every person who rode, donated, volunteered or supported the event has played a part in helping us continue this work.”
The organisation’s programmes now include after-school academic support, rugby and other sporting activities, creative programmes, social services and daily hot meals.
VUSA also operates a mobile computer classroom and mobile library supporting Early Childhood Development centres and primary schools.
Investec has supported the Cycle Challenge since 2022, with its involvement developing into a broader partnership with VUSA.
Alongside supporting the fundraising initiative, Investec backs VUSA’s after-school mathematics programme, which focuses on strengthening foundational numeracy skills and building children’s confidence in the classroom.
“Investec has been proud to stand alongside VUSA since the first Cycle Challenge in 2022,” said Investec’s Jerome Passmore.
“What began as support of a fundraiser has developed into a meaningful partnership focused on the long-term development of children in Langa.”
He said combining the Cycle Challenge with support for the mathematics programme creates opportunities for children to develop essential skills and realise their potential.
Since the first challenge in 2021, community support has generated more than R4 million through BackaBuddy. Annual fundraising grew from R217,392 in 2021 to R535,168 in 2022 and R909,883.10 in 2023.
The event passed the R1 million mark for the first time in 2024, raising R1,080,403.94, followed by R1,295,672.50 in 2025.
Those five events generated R4,038,519.54. With another R900,000 raised in 2026, cumulative fundraising through the challenge is now approaching R5 million.
Children participating in VUSA’s programmes also joined the event on Saturday morning for their own 12-hour challenge.
A treadmill relay, live entertainment, family activities, food vendors and a potjie competition helped broaden participation beyond the cyclists and turn the fundraiser into a wider community event.
For families benefiting from VUSA, that community support translates into services extending beyond sport and education.
“My daughter benefits from VUSA’s programmes every day, and I am so grateful for the support she receives from her coaches, the programme managers and VUSA’s social worker,” said Asanda Silwanyana, whose 11-year-old daughter participates in VUSA’s rugby programme.
“When she was injured, they supported both her and our family, and I saw how deeply they care for every child.”
Bishops Diocesan College Principal Tony Reeler said VUSA had developed from an initiative focused on giving young people opportunities through rugby into a broader youth development programme.
“From a dream to help young people play rugby to a programme that includes rugby, numeracy and literacy programmes, early childhood development support and the two mobile learning support vehicles, VUSA has had a remarkable impact on so many young boys and girls,” Reeler said.
For Matthews, the continued growth of the Cycle Challenge demonstrates how individual contributions can collectively sustain community programmes over several years.
“Thousands of individual contributions have helped us sustain and grow our programmes,” she said. “It shows what is possible when a community comes together behind a shared purpose.”
