17 May 2017

Ouma Cycling Charity Tour (OCCT) founder, Ms Ouma Rammidi has vowed to fight cervical cancer in an effort to make a difference in people’s lives.

Ms Rammidi said this at Moiyabana kgotla when addressing residents about cervical cancer recently.

Inspired by the loss of her mother due to cancer of the blood, she said she saw it fit to establish her foundation geared to sensitising the public about cancer.

She said her foundation was a platform to showcase the power of influence and uniqueness.

“After losing my mother I realised there was not enough information on sensitisation on cancer, and that spurred me to fill the gap by being the voice for the voiceless,” she stressed.

She said her motive was not to make money as she required no funds to embark on her quest, but to have her voice heard so as to make a difference.

Now five years on, she is still riding in a bid to sensitise the nation about cervical cancer.

Ms Rammidi said this year she collaborated with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and that the main focus was empowering the nation and giving people knowledge about social ills, drugs and enterprise development.

“Cervical cancer has been identified as one of the most common form of cancer among women, therefore, today we have brought resources to your door step so that you can test and take a step,” she said.

Having began in 2013, it was her third visit to Moiyabana, so far, and she has already visited more than 600 villages and has cycled more than 10 000km.

“OCCT vision is to grow into the future, take a leap of faith into unknown territories, be bold, dare, do extraordinary things, have the courage of conviction and awaken the best in all of us,” she said.

For his part, Kgosi Mokopakgosi Kgomokgwana of Moiyabana encouraged the youth to find other initiatives similar to what Ms Rammidi was engaged in which could benefit Moiyabana and the country at large.

He pleaded with residents to be sensitised about such illnesses and also encouraged them to test as the resources were readily available on the day.

Kgosi Kgomokgwana appealed for more sensitisation drives concerning men as more often than not, men were hardly involved in such initiatives.

He further urged residents to test at an earlier stage so that they could be attended to before it was too late.

Ms Rrammidi is yet to cycle to 25 villages including Gweta, Kole, Ukhwi, Gamodubu and Mogoditshane among others. She started in Gaborone and so far has visited about five villages. ENDS