The North-West University (NWU) is calling on volunteers to help bring a transformative awareness campaign to life. Ahead of the launch of the TRACTOR Awareness Rally – a pioneering community initiative to raise awareness about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease – support is needed in areas such as logistics, event coordination, research and media.
The TRACTOR (Together Rallying Across Communities to Overcome Remembrance-loss) Awareness Rally will take place from 30 August to 12 September 2025, journeying from Potchefstroom to Bredasdorp, with planned stops in towns along the way to connect with local communities.
Spearheaded by NWU support staff and the Faculty of Health Sciences, and led by staff member Esmé Marks, this rally is more than a road trip – it is a movement of compassion, resilience and solidarity. A symbolically decorated tractor, designed by local artists, will serve as a striking emblem of the slow and steady path walked by caregivers across South Africa.
Volunteers will play a vital role in helping to realise the vision of the rally of reducing stigma, supporting caregivers and educating the public. The campaign will feature local events at each stop, including expert talks, support group sessions and creative community activities involving schools, businesses and civil society. NWU students will contribute through service learning, and researchers will engage in fieldwork to deepen understanding of the social impact of dementia.
With more than 187 000 South Africans over 60 already affected by dementia, according to recent research, and numbers projected to reach 250 000 by 2030, the need for this kind of awareness and engagement has never been greater.
To extend its reach, TRACTOR will also drive a strong digital campaign under the hashtag #TRACTORforMemory, sharing real-time updates, personal stories and rally highlights to amplify awareness nationwide.
As a gesture of unity, miniature tractors will be handed out as tokens of remembrance, encouraging participants to stand in solidarity with those living with memory loss.
This is your chance to make a difference. Be part of a campaign that embodies the NWU’s values of academic engagement, social change and human connection.
To get involved or learn more, please send an email to Tractor.rally@nwu.ac.za.
Together, we can support families, raise awareness and remember – one town, one story, one memory at a time.
