Not all heroes wear capes; some wear swimsuits, and Karli Fourie,10, of Melkbosstrand, is one of them.
She raised, with the help of a GivenGain campaign, just over R50 000 for Home From Home – an organisation in Plettenberg Bay that cares for orphaned, abused, neglected and vulnerable children – by swimming 7.5km from Robben Island to Blouberg Beach on Friday last week.
She swam alongside veteran swimmer Howard Warrington, of Somerset West, for just over three hours.
Karli became the youngest swimmer to complete the Robben Island crossing in November last year, and Mr Warrington, a family friend, encouraged her to do it a second time, this time for a charity close to her heart.
In 2021, Karli went on a hike to raise money for Home From Home and became aware of the struggles the organisation faces, according to her mother, Anel Fourie.
“Karli became very tired about 200 metres before completing the hiking challenge but was motivated to finish because she had heard about these kids who had to grow up in foster care,” said Ms Fourie.
Karli had collected clothes, shoes, and soft toys to take to the home, but she had wanted to do even more to help, and that desire had led to the swim, said Ms Fourie.
Karli took breaks every 30 minutes, and was encouraged to get into the boat if she was too tired to continue.
“I kept saying, ‘Okay, Karli, you can get into the boat now,’ and she was like, ‘Nope, I am going to finish this,’” said Ms Fourie.
Karli had spent months preparing for the challenge, she said.
“She does about five to seven kilometres in the pool during the week, and on weekends, she does her long-distance in the ocean. This has no limit.”
A shy Karli told Tabletalk that it had been by “God’s grace” that she had managed to finish the challenge without any difficulties.
“I am very proud and happy of myself but mostly happy that I could help those kids who don’t have a mother and father,” she said.
Asked if she had been scared, she replied, “Not really,” and added, “I will see if I can do it again because I enjoyed it.”
Karli said that while practising at Langebaan some months ago, she had looked up at the sky and seen a cloud that resembled an angel’s wing, and later, she had seen a “perfectly formed hand” in the clouds. She had taken all of that as a sign to do the Robben Island swim.
Home From Home executive director Peter Marx praised Karli’s efforts, saying, “Karli, you are already a champion before your swim. Someone that has the courage to act in order to help others in society from such a young age is an example to all of us. Hopefully you will become a recognised leader in our country one day.
“Her determination and dedication to supporting the foster children in our care is truly inspiring,” he said.
Visit this title’s online edition for a direct link to Karli’s GivenGain campaign.
