Stephen and Sharon Lamprecht, the Founders of Hopelands have a passion to rescue abandoned babies and orphaned children.
Hopelands has 19 hectares of land on the outskirts of Magaliesburg where they want to build a village for orphaned children. One of their existing care facilities is a rescue home for abandoned babies situated in Magaliesburg.
WHAT ARE THEY DOING
They are doing the Everest Base Camp Trek in the Himalaya mountains in Nepal. This trek will take 12 days in total from Kathmandu to reach Everest Base Camp at 5364m above sea level and return to Kathmandu.
WHY ARE THEY DOING IT
They want to create awareness of the plight of voiceless babies that are abandoned in South Africa. Amidst all the despair and hopelessness in SA there are 900 babies that are abandoned every month, yes every month! That is more than 10 000 per annum. This is a shocking number of abandonments of all races. Even more tragic is that only 300 are rescued and 600 unfortunately die.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of infant murder in the world. Despite having one of the highest rates of neonaticide (murder of children within the first 28 days of life) and infanticide (murder of babies under one), the South African Government will not change the laws on criminalization of baby abandonment. Women in South Africa cannot safely relinquish a child that they cannot care for.
Hopelands has a house in Magaliesburg that has been approved by the Department of Social Development as a Child and Youth Care Centre (CYCC) to accommodate 13 babies aged 0-3 that have been abandoned or are vulnerable.
Running costs to look after 13 babies will require financial assistance from sponsors and the local community. The Lamprechts also want to raise funds for the rescue home. If you are in any position to assist financially, or even moral support, they will gladly receive it.
WHEN DO THEY LEAVE: 6 MAY 2023
Here is the daily schedule of the climb to Everest Base Camp:
Day 1 (9 May 2023) Flight (15 minutes): Kathmandu (1350m) to Lukla (2800m), start the trek to Phakding (2652m) (8 km – 4 hours)
Day 2 (10 May 2023) Phakding to Namche Bazaar (3440m) 11 km – 6 hours)
Day 3 (11 May 2023) Namche Bazaar: Altitude acclimatization day
Day 4 (12 May 2023) Namche Bazaar to Phortse (3700m) (10 km – 6 hours)
Day 5 (13 May 2023) Phortse to Dingboche (4400m) (11 km – 6 hours)
Day 6 (14 May 2023) Dingboche: Altitude acclimatization day
Day 7 (15 May 2023) Dingboche to Lobuche (4900m) (12 km – 7 hours)
Day 8 (16 May 2023) Lobuche to Gorakshep (5180m) and Everest Base Camp (5364m), and back to Gorekshep (15 km – 8 hours)
Day 9 (17 May 2023) Gorakshep to Kalapathar to Pheriche / Pangbouche (4320m) (13km – 6 hours)
Day 10 (18 May 2023) Pheriche to Namche Bazaar (3440m) (14km – 8 hours)
Day 11 (19 May 2023) Namche to Phakding and Lukla (Last day of trekking) (2800m) (16km – 7 hours)
Day 12 (20 May 2023) Flight: Lukla to Kathmandu
Fundraising:
All funds raised or donations received will be used for the rescue home for abandoned babies.