In 2012, Gatabazi fled the Congo on foot, travelling through five countries before arriving in South Africa. Finding safety and refuge in The Homestead local shelter, Gatabazi decided to focus his energies on learning to swim and completing his dream of swimming from Robben Island to shore. Gatabazi accomplished this dream in less than 11 months and also received the
Swimmer of the Year Award from the Cape Town Long Distance Swimming Association.
Realising he has a gift, Gatabazi has decided to complete a swim around Robben Island in aid of raising funds for LifeLine Western Cape, in order to help them continue their work of helping those in need. The swim is 10km long with the water temperatures fluctuating between 10 to 15 degrees Celsius.
“Arafat Gatabazi is one inspiring young man,” says Jenna Hills, a member of the marketing team at LifeLine Western Cape. “He wants to empower others who feel hopeless to find their way, and he believes LifeLine Western Cape can help by offering compassionate listening to anyone who calls.”
LifeLine Western Cape is an NGO and relies on donations in order to keep its lines open. The organisation is facing one of its most challenging years and needs funds to ensure that its volunteer counsellors are able to be there for the community.
Gatabazi is ready to swim Robben Island to bring awareness to this need on Monday, 26 December.
“I did my first Robben Island swim not only for me, I wanted to show the boys I lived with at the Homestead Street Children's Home that there was still hope for us to achieve bigger things in life – it was a lifetime accomplishment for me,” says Gatabazi. “Since then swimming has changed the way I see things in life, impossible doesn't stand in my way.”
For more information, visit
www.lifelinewc.org.za. Alternatively, connect with them on
Facebook.