2006-06-23Staff Report 2 "By Surihe Gaomas WINDHOEK Four local charities have been chosen as beneficiaries of Namibia's first record attempt on the World's Biggest Braai in September this year. The charities selected by the main sponsors for the upcoming event are Christina Swart-Opperman Aids Orphans Foundation Trust that will receive 40 percent of Meacto Namibia's share of profits; Sunshine Kindergarten in Okuryangava that will get 20 percent of the profits of the Trustco Group; and the Wapandula organisation in the north chosen by Coca-Cola which will be getting 20 percent of its profits. Wapandula is an organisation that caters mostly for school youth dropouts. Marketing Trainee of Coca-Cola, Fortune /Nanus, said this charity was selected on the basis that the company has been working with them before and saw it as part of their ongoing social responsibility to assist them in future. The fourth charity will be announced in due course. Speaking at press function in the capital yesterday Managing Director of Sindana Communications Annette Derks said the charities will not only benefit from the profits made by the sponsors of the event, but also from corporate pledges at the gala dinner organised for August this year. She said the objective of the country's world record attempt is mainly towards the social upliftment of disadvantaged communities. "" I am pleased that the charities chosen reflect the desire for the sponsors to recognise the needs in Namibia and the importance of assisting credible institutions which have already entrenched themselves in their communities,"" explained Derks. The world record attempt by Namibia is geared towards braaing 44 159 sausages and to hand them out to the general public to eat on September 9, 2006 at the Sam Nujoma Stadium. ""The event therefore serves as a platform not only to bring Namibians together, but to give something back to those less fortunate than ourselves,"" she added. Early this month, organisers and sponsors who include New Era Publications, announced the world record attempt and charity event by Namibia. The braai will cost N$1,6-million. At the launch of the braai, Meatco which is also celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, teamed up with various local sponsors to organise the braai. Besides New Era, Trustco Group, Namibia Beverages (Coca-Cola), Renaissance Health Medical Aids Fund, One Africa Television and Omulunga Radio are the other sponsors. In what is considered a 'boerewors feast' for the 44 159 Namibians to take part, the organisers feel that this can be one opportunity for Namibia to break the current world record of feeding the most people in one sitting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the current record for the world's largest barbeque was achieved by Australians in an event held near Sydney in 1993. The Namibian braai is the brainchild of Interact FCB who together with Sindana Communications are organising and project-managing the world record attempt. In a previous interview, Managing Director of Interact FCB Alan Brough said after a feasibility study was done about the upcoming event at the beginning of this year, the idea was proposed as a good opportunity for Meatco to celebrate its 20th anniversary in style this year. Brough said by engaging people at the grassroots level to take part in the world's biggest braai to be held in the country and especially in something most Namibians feel passionate about namely, a braai, the organisers felt it can become a truly Namibian feast. The success of the world record attempt lies not only in the hands of the sponsors and business community, but in every Namibian coming to participate in an initiative that would again place Namibia on the world map." 2006-06-23Staff Report 2
