Drive 2 Unite 2026: Joburg Charity Car Run Fights Period Poverty on 27 September
- Drive 2 Unite returns to Johannesburg on 27 September 2026, with hundreds of supercars, bikes and classic cars joining the convoy
- The annual event has donated over 96,000 sanitary pads to more than 16,000 women and girls since it launched in 2023
- Nineteen-year-old Tiamara Andrew, director of Blessing Lives NPO, is driving the campaign to break the silence around period poverty
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South Africa's largest charity car and bike run is returning to Johannesburg on 27 September 2026, and this year it is louder than ever. Drive 2 Unite, hosted by idle Auto Expo in collaboration with Blessing Lives NPO, will see hundreds of supercars, custom cars, classic cars, superbikes and custom bikes take to the streets of Joburg to raise awareness around period poverty.
Since launching in 2023, the event has grown into a genuine movement. Across three years, more than 96,000 sanitary pads have been collected and distributed to over 16,000 women and girls across the country.
Tiamara Andrew: The director behind the movement
At just 19 years old, Tiamara Andrew serves as director of Blessing Lives NPO and is the driving force behind Drive 2 Unite. Her passion for the cause traces back to when she was nine years old. After attending a sanitary pad drive for underprivileged learners, she listened to girls share their struggles firsthand. She learned that period poverty has four major consequences: no access to sanitary products, girls missing three to five days of school every month, health risks from using unhygienic materials, and the toll it takes on their mental health.
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"One sanitary pad may seem small, but to a girl who needs it, it can mean everything," Tiamara said. "It can be the reason she walks into school tomorrow with confidence instead of staying at home."
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What's coming in 2026
The 2025 edition drew more than 250 vehicles. At one point, the convoy brought a national highway to a standstill, with hundreds of engines revving together in unison.
"Our purpose in stopping the highway was not to have a moment of silence for those who have struggled, but to make enough noise by revving all our vehicles," Tiamara said. "We were saying that we had enough of girls staying silent. We were breaking the silence."
For 2026, the event will take place at the Montecasino Events Area in Fourways, open to the public from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. Entry is free, and visitors are encouraged to bring sanitary pad donations. Africa's first RWB Porsche, built by legendary founder Akira Nakai himself at idle Auto Expo, will also be on display.
Beyond the vehicles, underprivileged learners will take part in a stage programme covering menstrual health, hygiene and sanitary dignity. Food vendors and entertainment will also be on site, making it a full community day.
Blessing Lives NPO is a registered organisation with the Department of Social Development and is able to issue Section 18A certificates for qualifying donations.
Those who want to register a vehicle for the convoy can do so at idlebrands.com/Drive2Unite. To sponsor, exhibit or donate, reach out to tiamara@blessinglivessa.org or info@blessinglivessa.org.
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More on South Africans giving back
- Briefly News recently reported on a man who was left overwhelmed after South Africans rallied to fund his choir's tour within just 24 hours of his request.
- In another story, a young woman put her catering career on hold to feed over 150 hungry children in her community every single week.
- Briefly News also looked into a university-backed initiative that's been delivering school shoes and dignity packs to learners walking long distances in rural areas.
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Source: Briefly News
