The long walk to awareness

 

In 27 larger towns or cities, Charlotte sets up a stall in a public space and for a day or more focuses on creating awareness and promoting her causes. Upon completing each ‘leg’, she would publish on Facebook an account of impressions and encounters together with a visual record capturing scenes and moments from the journey.

 

Thus, Charlotte Steyn (34) has been advancing for four months along the symbolically warped, heart-shaped trail of 5,327 km through the country she loves. Her departure on 16 March 2013 at Big Bay, in Cape Town, happened without fanfare. The walk has so far taken her through the Western Cape, Northern Cape, Northwest, Free State, Gauteng and Limpopo. She reached the halfway mark on Saturday, 6 July just outside of Tzaneen and has since entered province seven, Mpumalanga. Why would a young woman elect to walk 5,327 km through South Africa?

 

This is her story:

“After resigning from the corporate world of national training and development manager, and completing the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage to clear my head, I had to deliberate about the future. Could ‘significance beyond success’ be achieved? The image outline of South Africa came to me with the outline of a heart within. Intrigued, I downloaded an image of South Africa and superimposed the shape of a heart. The heart, symbolising the emotional and moral core of the human being, had trouble fitting in, fitting only when warped, and that is when it all started to make sense, for South Africa's heart is warped and requires healing. So I did some research, conceptualising and sharing the idea with select people. Although all feedback was positive, I was cautioned about the time it would take to put such a project together. This is when I applied my other philosophy: "The word 'No' does not exist. Change your approach until you get to the 'Yes'." I think people want to put a face to this; it is how we are. Perhaps I can say that my role is not important except as 'trigger', putting mouth and feet where the heart is. Be as it may, here is how one can strive to make the world less sad.”

 

The dream

Charlotte has a dream. Her dream is that one day this nation will rise and live up to the true meaning of its anthem - that we be raised, united, freed, saved, and blessed. For that to happen, everyone needs to make a contribution towards achieving the potential of our wonderful place on planet earth – and do it for the sheer joy of giving, if not for Madiba’s legacy or for Project Hearts-in-Motion.

 

Charlotte sees her role as ‘trigger’ to first raise awareness that would bring about change in the immediate social environment. She wishes for the Hearts-in-Motion Trail Project to inspire South Africans to take the responsibility and contribute to society – to actively seek opportunities across all passages of life (as reflected in the causes) that are sustainable and can benefit individuals, as well as the country. It follows that one can contribute by donating to these charities that do those things on our behalf.

 

Only then can this road less travelled become the road more travelled – only then will people across all groups and communities in South Africa feel that they can safely replicate the walk in their own province and area to benefit themselves and similar deserving charities.

 

The ultimate goal of this walk is that the distorted heart of our country and people be healed in moments of giving, of participating, of sharing in this great adventure – magical life itself.

 

The motivation

On her website, Charlotte motivates her approach as follows: “If you read this, you are part of life, and you find yourself somewhere along the life cycle continuum. This we all have in common. It is the so-called ‘human condition’. From cradle to grave, we pass various milestones: infancy, childhood, teenager, etc. In a wonderful world, we cohabit with animals and plants, a world that may cause wonderment and joy, but may also bring untold hardship and pain. We are all journeying towards the great unknown of tomorrow and the day after and ...”