Rallying for Charity

Hello! My name is Rochelle McWilliams aka Rusti Tank Girl. I have a plan to drive from Cape Town, South Africa in November 2019 to London, England in time to start the Mongol Rally by July 2020. I need all the help I can get to ensure this is not just a dream and that doesn’t stop there as I am also rallying for charities.

Why
I often receive messages from friends, friends of friends and even strangers expressing a love for travel but the inability to make it happen for themselves. I find this fascinating because it is so easy for me to find adventure where ever I go; you just need to, well... get out there.

And so, I created Inspire Trails , a way to inspire new or fellow travellers to find adventure. I now need to show people that it can be done and more importantly, how. The point is to be creative in ways of raising money so that we can help the people around us. No matter your means, with enough dedication and passion for what it is you want to do, anything can be achieved.

This isn't all about me. "Ubuntu" is a Zulu and Xhosa word meaning "humanity to others".

It also means "I am what I am because of who we all are", reflecting the universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity and transcends religion and culture. Ubuntu is close to my heart because I firmly believe it can change the world.

And with this concept driving Inspire Trails, this trip is for me to prove that I can do it, and help as many people as possible along the way.

How
To ensure I can positively contribute to communities along the way, I will take six months to do the trip from Cape Town to London. On this journey, I will be learning and sharing what it is to really live and experience life within all the cultures that I will experience along the way.

There are many volunteer organisations on this journey who will greatly benefit from my collection of skills, from project management, social media and graphic design, to welding and wood work. I am a very hands on kind of gal, who does things, not just talks about them.

Hippohelp.com is one of the many networks I will use to bring down monthly costs while being super active in local communities.

What you get
It is always wonderful to receive something in return for your hard earned money. For each 80 USD you donate, I will plant a tree for you along the way and make a personalised bracelet with the GPS co-ordinates of your tree. Along with a picture of me and your tree! I hope this will inspire you to one day come find your tree!

The money I need to raise is for covering monthly costs such as insurance for myself and my possessions, fuel to progress, food and accommodation, medical vaccinations, rally entries, visas, vehicle shipping from Africa into Europe and a flight. This is no small task for a single traveller, but it can and has been done before. I will be transparent and provide feedback to all those who help me along my way. The mere fact that you have taken the time to read about my story makes my heart swell with hope.

The below infographics can explain some of the costs. I will be able to bring down the food and accommodation costs down as I will have time to volunteer in lieu of board and lodge. I will need half the funds for the rally before December 2018, and the remainder by the end of June 2019.



As I progress through the African continent I will be gathering content to print books of the trip. It will focus on the African landscape and local food. 50% of the proceeds from book sales will be donated to a local charity close to my heart, Contribution To Opportunities (CTO) . The other 50% of the book sales will go toward extending my trip around the world for as long as I can rallying for charity.

In closing, I thank you so very much for your valuable time. If you are inspired to help, you can do so by donating and sharing. Every dollar counts!