THE DAKAR IS COMMITTED TO SOLIDARITY
Throughout its history in Africa and South America, the Dakar has always aimed to be something more than a sports event through its support for a wide range of solidarity projects, and the 2019 Dakar is no exception.
TECHO is an organisation active in 19 Latin American countries. Dakar has supported this NGO and its various solidarity projects in South America for over a decade. The event's financial backing has enabled the construction of more than 400 emergency housing units and other social projects. For the 2019 edition, the Dakar will contribute to the construction of a community centre, a sports field and emergency housing in the San Juan de Miraflores region. Amaury Sport Organisation will also donate clothes for TECHO to distribute to underprivileged people. You can find out more about the NGO at its booth in the Feria Dakar.
Waves For Water is back to work in Peru!! Led by Country Director Gabriel Villaran, W4W has partnered with Dakar to bring access to clean water to rural and isolated locations along rally stages 1-4. Focusing on schools and individual families the W4W Dakar project will provide training and water filtration systems to local leaders and families providing years of clean water!! Key figures of this operation:
- 100 Sawyer Water Filtration Systems provided
- 2 Rain Catchment Systems installed
- 3 locations (Pisco, San Juan de Marcona, Arequipa)
- Up 10,000 people given access to clean water
The Dakar is joining forces with the Peruvian Blood Donor Association, a non-profit organisation that promotes voluntary, unpaid blood donations. It was established in 2014 by Peruvian citizens who wanted to tackle a tremendous challenge at the national level: 95% of blood donations come from people who are giving blood to a relative or friend in an emergency situation, not from volunteers. However, insufficient blood reserves are one of the leading causes of mortality in Peru, with 48,000 deaths a year. You can find out more about the association on their bus in the Feria Dakar.
The Dakar organises guided visits to the bivouacs for underprivileged people and children from low-income households. It works together with local authorities, which designate three groups of 50 children every day, who get to discover the bivouac and meet their heroes. Over 1,500 children will live this memorable experience during the 2019 Dakar.
Firemen Dakar Team
The Firemen Dakar Team, represented by Dutch competitor Richard de Groot, will again donate a fire engine to a station in Pisco. The team will also donate equipment and material to several fire stations along the route of the 2019 Dakar. You are more than welcome to come to the fire engine donation ceremony in the Feria Dakar.
Japan Racing Management CO, LTD
The JAPAN RACING MANAGEMENT CO., LTD. is celebrating its 50th anniversary by donating USD 20,000 to an educational project run by the TECHO NGO that will take place during the 2019 Dakar.
Team Pompy
Team Pompy, represented by French competitor Stéphane Bouvier, will hand out five hundred colouring sheets and five hundred boxes of crayons along the route of the 2019 Dakar.
