Herman Bosman, CEO of RMB Holdings and RMI Holdings, took part in the 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout last week Thursday (18 June 2015), where he and a host of other CEOs from around the country spent an evening on the streets of Johannesburg.
Bosman felt that the event was a success, having personally raised R112 000, and said that he would take part in future projects like this.
“Typically problems are solved when awareness meet assertive and creative solutions. A sleep-out like this will make us all pause and become more aware of the plights of homeless and specifically our vulnerable children,” said Bosman.
He revealed: “It was a humbling and impactful experience. The night out in itself was difficult (and it wasn’t even really cold) but the thought of someone being homeless on a longer term basis, is even harder to imagine.”
Bosman added: “On a micro basis I am of course more aware of the everyday challenges and hardships faced by homeless people. [However,] on a macro and longer term basis one evening (with the ability to return to a privileged life in the morning) does not tell the full tale of difficulty.”
Prior to the sleep out, Bosman had spent several nights out-of-doors, camping on a fairly regular basis. “The coldest was in Nossob in July 2004 when we forgot to pack the dome tent’s poles and had to sleep under the stars,” explained Bosman.
However, he points out that these had all been through choice.
For more about the challenge, click here…. Then click through to the below.
Turn this into a standalone story: The challenge
The event was held in order to raise awareness around the issue of homeless and vulnerable children. Each CEO who took part in the event aimed to raise R100 000, totally R25 million, with the funds going to Girls and Boys Town (GBT).
According to the website, the Sleepout challenge raised R23 406 575.
“As the exclusive beneficiary of the 702 Sun International CEO Sleepout in South Africa in 2015 and for the next two years, GBT will use the assistance and funds raised to extend its work with vulnerable children,” it said on the website.
To read more about the challenge, click here.