Helplink, the AI-powered platform working to formalise South Africa’s informal economy, today announced it will sponsor three paddlers — including a Helplink graduate — in the brutal Port Elizabeth to East London (PE2EL) Ocean Canoe Challenge from 3–6 December 2025. The four-day, 250-kilometre race — widely called “The Maker of Men” — is famed for its savage surf, exposed ocean legs and unrelenting test of physical and mental endurance. For Helplink, the event is a living metaphor for the entrepreneurial journey: grit, guidance and growth.
“There is a direct and undeniable correlation between the sheer intensity of the PE2EL Challenge and the grit required to successfully launch and run a formal business in South Africa,” says Adelaide McKelvey, Executive Director at Helplink. “Sibusiso is a living testament to the transformation our programme achieves. He has navigated the tumultuous ‘waters’ of the informal economy to establish a solid business — and now he applies that same perseverance to conquer the harshest coastline in the world.”
Three paddlers, three stories of resilience
Helplink’s sponsorship supports Sibusiso Zulu, a Helplink graduate and brand ambassador; Sandile Menjenjalo, a committed lifeguard from Orient Beach who will combine the race with access to Helplink’s SETA-approved AI course; and Bevan Manson, a three-time PE2EL winner and world-record ocean canoeist. Together they embody Helplink’s themes: discipline, mentorship and the courage to keep going when the waves won’t let up.
“The Helplink programme taught me that endurance is not just physical; it’s about having the right strategy, mentors, and the mental fortitude to push past the breaking point,” says Sibusiso Zulu. “Every day on the PE2EL race needs focus and proper commitment—just the same as in running my business. I am proud to represent thousands of resilient micro-businesses ready to make the leap into the formal economy.”
Champion paddler Bevan Manson, who captained South Africa’s national water-polo team and holds the world ocean canoe record of 243 km in a day, adds: “Through paddling, I’ve learned that pushing through the toughest waves builds the strength to achieve anything. I’m excited to connect with others and help them chase their goals.”
PE2EL: a race that mirrors entrepreneurship
The PE2EL course runs along the Eastern Cape’s notorious Sunshine Coast, where paddlers must negotiate major surf breaks (including the Woody Cape sector), exposed open-ocean crossings and four days of cumulative fatigue. Organisers and competitors alike call the event a rite of passage — a raw, elemental measure of physical stamina, mental toughness and teamwork.
Helplink frames the race as a powerful storytelling platform that connects the lived experience of micro-entrepreneurs with national audiences, funders and corporate partners — human stories that reveal how formalisation, training and mentoring translate into resilience.
Helplink’s model: AI, mentoring and measurable impact
Helplink is a tech-enabled training and enablement platform designed to help micro-businesses formalise and scale. Core programme features highlighted in the sponsorship announcement include:
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SETA-approved AI training covering financial literacy, compliance and marketing;
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One-on-one mentoring and access to professional advisors;
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A media alliance and dedicated media budget that amplifies beneficiary visibility and can boost advertising exposure by up to 100%; and
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A shared-value investment model that offers corporate partners measurable brand and social impact.
Adelaide McKelvey stresses the dual objective: “Helplink fast-tracks the transformation of micro-businesses into compliant, fundable and future-ready enterprises. This sponsorship celebrates the grit of entrepreneurs and invites partners to back scalable, visible impact.”
Helplink also delivers an AI-powered corporate learning pathway that equips employees and supply-chain micro-enterprises with life and career skills — from adaptability to strategic problem-solving — and is actively seeking funders and partners to extend the platform’s reach.
How to follow and support the journey
Helplink invites the public, corporate partners and funders to follow the race and the paddlers’ stories:
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Website: https://helplinkai.co.za/
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Facebook: Helplink (facebook.com/Helplink)
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Instagram: @helplinksa
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YouTube: Helplink AI
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LinkedIn: Helplinksa
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Race updates & hashtags: #HelplinkXPE2EL | #FormaliseFast | #GritMeetsGrowth | #LearnToEndure
