There is a bear …
… on its way to Rwanda to hang out with mountain gorillas. It’s not a normal bear though (we don’t know if bears and gorillas get along), it’s a teddy bear on a mission. His name is Trevor (the traveller) and he will be joining Getaway journalists on their various assignments throughout Africa for the next year. His first trip is up to Rwanda with our web and food editor Sarah Duff, who will be tweeting pics on her adventure (follow #TrevorsTravels on Twitter for updates).
Meet Trevor
But why?
It’s called Teddy Travels: part of an initiative by OGLE Media to create awareness to support education in South Africa and to raise funds to place OGLE Kiosks (check out the video below) in schools to allow educational content to be accessed by learners, absolutely free. It’s no secret that the South African education system is in crisis, learners desperately need access to high-quality, curriculum-based content and at the moment the education system is failing them. It’s a dire situation and the OGLE kiosks are a much-needed solution to this problem.
He’s not alone …
10 teddy bears, like Trevor, will soon be leaving South Africa to travel the world, meet people and make friends. They will depart over the next two months and will travel with chaperones who will host them for a mimimum of 48 hours and then pass it on to someone else traveling to a new destination. They may be stuffed, but they’re not stuffing around and will be accepting invitations from the rich and famous, politicians, film stars, musicians and other Alumni around the world!
Their chaperones, or hosts, will be encouraged to upload pictures and stories about their guest on social media (Teddy Travels on Facebook) and the Teddy Travel blog. These chaperones will then also make a donation towards placing an OGLE Kiosk in a school in South Africa and encourage others to do the same. The teddies will return to South Africa on Mandela Day 18 July 2013, with a passport full of stamps and a host of new travel experiences.
Pass it forward
The teddies have been kindly sponspored by Build-A-Bear Workshops and companies and organisations are encouraged to fully or part sponsor a teddy for their year away. These sponsorships and donations will be used to set up and manage the Teddy Travels blog and social media platforms for the year and to place OGLE Kiosks in schools.
How you can be a part of it
Teddy Travels is a cool initiative that goes beyond simply donating to a cause. It’s an opportunity to get involved (check out the Getaway Team at Build-a-Bear V&A Waterfront bringing Trevor to life) and live vicariously through these fuzzy travellers. Sponsorships and donations can be made internationally in various currencies via GivenGain. All funds are managed by the Heart Charitable Trust, a South African based registered Public Benefit Organ. Check out the link for more info on how to donate – Teddy Travels on GivenGain.
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