TIA (This is Africa)

If there’s one thing we’ve learnt on our journey through Africa it’s that nothing ever goes according to plan and you have to be willing to adapt to circumstances whenever they change on you.

It was no different as we arrived in Livingstone on Thursday with the prospect of two days of relaxing and a bike donation on Friday ahead of us. Upon arrival a few final arrangements had to be made for the donation but a big surprise awaited when I met with Graham Nel from Safari Par Excellence… Sometime during the week the princess of Zambia had passed away and has luck would have it Friday was scheduled as a national day of mourning and Saturday being her funeral meant we were not allowed to have any function on any of our two rest days. So instead of starting of our double rest days with a chilled afternoon the donation ceremony was moved to Thursday afternoon.

However, we’ve learn to roll with issues like these without any problem and in record time Graham and Sharmaine Barry from The Waterfront had organised all the stakeholders and media to make their way to the Waterfront that afternoon and the ceremony took place without any further trouble.

The ceremony



As riders arrived after three long days in the saddle of approximately 160km, 180km and another 160km they headed straight for the bar to put their feet up while gazing across the Zambezi. The fact that the ceremony took place at the bar therefore meant several of the riders were all too happy to attend.



The mayor of Livingstone as well as representatives from African Impact, the Happy Africa Foundation (THAF), school headmasters and the Ministry of Education were present as we donated 25 bikes to this initiative. With the help of African Impact and THAF several schools were identified to receive bicycles to help their students. The bikes go to these schools who in turn will distribute them to children who have to walk several hours to school every day. Because of the challenges these children face their schooling is often neglected and with the issuance of the bikes they will be able to get to school easier, better their education and thereby their future prospects in terms of employment and looking after their families.

Secondary school education is often neglected because of transport issues and with these bikes several children will be able to go to school for longer than they would have without the bicycles. The bikes are not donated to the children but to the schools in order to redistribute the bikes to children who need them year after year and to make the project sustainable.



After the ceremony TDA riders and staff were treated to a lucky draw where they won several prizes sponsored by local companies. Prizes included white water rafting, bungee jumping from Vic Falls, elephant walks, lion experiences and river cruises.

About African Impact and THAF



African Impact was started in 2004 at Antelope Park in Zimbabwe. They are the largest on-the-ground facilitator of socially responsible volunteer projects in Southern and East Africa and have been working in partnership with the local communities of Livingstone since 2006. They provide assistance in long term sustainable development initiatives to a wide range of projects including, education, medical assistance, social welfare, sports coaching and training for many local communities.

African Impact was instrumental in the establishment of the Happy Africa Foundation and provides much of the charity’s resources, in terms of staff, logistical support and its
administration of all of its projects. THAF is managed by Hannah Kerrigan and is registered as a charity in the UK and as a NGO in South Africa and Zambia.  African Impact is able to facilitate the implementation of all donor funding, again minimising a significant expense to the Foundation. 

The charity looks to find sustainable solutions to the challenges that local African communities face. THAF and African Impact partner with local communities to conserve and protect the environment, wildlife and cultures in areas where the Foundation is involved.

Thank you



Without the hard work of several TDA riders none of the donations during this year’s trip would have been possible. A special thank you goes to Walter Luetolf, Herman de Grave, Beverley Coburn, Natalie Howard and Paul ten Brummelhuis who donated generously to the TDA Foundation as well as all other riders who have been raising money for worthy causes on their own.

Thanks also go to Safari Par Excellence, the Zambezi Waterfront, Livingstone Adventures, Zambezi Adrenaline Company, Lady Livingstone, Abseil Zambia and Lion Encounter for facilitating the ceremony and for the prizes they donated to TDA riders and staff.



A special thanks to Carla White for the use of her photos.


-- Catharina Robbertze

Sunday’s bike donation ceremony in Nairobi was attended by Wheels of Africa (WoA), who were providing the bikes, the two recipients of the bikes ( Arrow Web Hospital and Kijiji Cha Upendo), Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) Kenya, who are working with WoA to develop Nairobi’s first bike hire business for local university students and EcoTourism Kenya, who have recently formed a partnership with Wheels of Africa as well. 
 


The ceremony was organized and hosted by Wheels of Africa who we are worked with for several years now.  Twelve bikes were donated to Arrow Web Hospital, my old friend Bramuel Simuel was there to receive the bikes.  Arrow Web has grown it’s health outreach program significantly since we first met them in 2006 and we’re happy to continue to play a role in that programs growth. 



This year marked our first donation to Kijiji Cha Upendo, an organization that provides financial and logistical support for families who have adopted orphans. Kajiji received 12 bikes which will be used by their out reach workers.


 
The student entrepreneurship group SIFE Kenya also attended the ceremony to give a report on a pilot project they have started with WoA and 2012 TdA Rider Peter Hille.  The project aims to start the first bike hire business in Nairobi to offer people an alternative way to commute to school. 



Starting next semester the students of Strathmore University will compete is a business plan competition to design a profitable business model for the bike hire scheme.  Winners will be given the opportunity to start a bike hire business with bike from Wheels of Africa.  Initial plans and tests indicate the hire a bike for 100Ksh ($1.20 USD) per ½ day provides transport that is cheaper than using local mini buses and would provide enough income to make the bike hire business profitable.  More information on the bike hire plan in future posts. 



Finally Kahindi from EcoTourism Kenya spoke about the opportunities he sees to make Nairobi a truly bike friendly city and the need for increased partnership between local bike organizations and Tour d’Afrique.  Kahindi is passionate about cycling as a means of transport and recreation in the city and has been working hard with government officials to increase awareness about the laws that protect Kenyan cyclists on Kenyan roads.
 
It was a ceremony full of promise and optimism to be sure.  It seems the cycling landscape in Nairobi is rapidly improving as partnerships are formed between like minded individuals and organizations.  I think big changes are coming to the Nairobi Cycling scene, stay tuned.


The Tour d’Afrique Foundation supports outreach workers in various countries in Africa by providing bicycles to them so they may travel more efficiently and serve more people.  Studies have shown that a health outreach worker can reach up to 5 times as many patients by using a bicycle and they can by foot. 

The Foundation relies on donations from people like you.  Donate to the Tour d’Afrique Foundation.

Related links:

http://www.tourdafrique.com/blog/foundation/buy-a-bike-for-africa

http://www.tourdafrique.com/blog/foundation/cool-cinelli-stuff-great-cause

http://www.tourdafrique.com/blog/tourdafrique/two-beautiful-days-the-bahir-dar-bike-donation-ceremony

http://www.tourdafrique.com/blog/tourdafrique/going-the-extra-mile-on-tour

‘KIJIJI CHA UPENDO’ is a Community Based Organization founded and registered in Kenya in 2009 by a group of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) caregivers. The organization started its operations in September 2010. The founding group had in mind an entity that will provide them with a forum for mutual support and empowerment and remove OVC’s out of the streets of Kibera. Kijiji has since then focused priority on those who were infected and affected by HIV/ AIDS. Kijiji’s vision is crafted along the Kenya National HIV/AIDS strategic plan (KNASP III) 2008-2013 which strives for a society free of HIV. The organizational objectives are outlined below:

● To empower caregivers and OVC, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS to live positively.

● To reduce the physical and psychological suffering caused by HIV/AIDS through provision of appropriate care at home.

● To integrate and support children orphaned or made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS into existing acceptable family structures.

● To broaden economic base of caregivers through Income Generating Activities.

● To scale up community sensitization on HIV and AIDS and OVC care.

● To build Kijiji’s institutional capacity by training staff and through cross- learning programs. 

OUR VISION

We envision vulnerable children, to the best of their potential, becoming well developed adults and healthy, productive and responsible citizens.

OUR MISSION

To complement the efforts of families, already providing physical and emotional support, to orphans and other vulnerable children, infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, through a family based approach, where children receive nurturing care by loving adults, within family homes.      

Program Thematic areas and Achievements:
  
■ Counselling: Provided at Kibera centre, person to person counselling to enable clients to make informed decisions on taking tests, living with test results and for those infected, live wholesome lives. At least ten people are reached every week, further strengthening their coping with the realities of living with HIV (positive living) or losing their parents, in the case of orphans and spouses in the case of adults (bereavement support). 
 
■ Guardians’ therapy: These therapy sessions are forums that provide a unique opportunity for sharing experiences and challenges in OVC care. These monthly sessions bring together fifteen families  

● Referrals: Referrals are done where needs presented by guardians are beyond Kijiji’s capacity. These include medical, financial, and legal among others. 
 
■ Home visits: Conducted to guardians and children living with HIV, who are sick or admitted at hospitals. At least thirty visits are done in a month.  

■ Orphan support: This thematic area constitutes a wide range of services targeting children orphaned by AIDS or are living positively with the virus in Kibera area.  

■ Community education: This intervention targets members of the public and other clusters of the population that qualify as most at risk populations (MARPS). At least one hundred persons are reached every month.  

■ The cooperative: This involves two monthly meetings held with an aim of sharing information and resources on income generating activities (IGA’s), credit facilities, savings and other financial services.  

KIJIJI Project accomplishments at a glance:

Since it begun operations, Kijiji cha Upendo has experienced a rising demand for its services in Kibera area. Fifteen households have so far benefited from the IGA initiative with evidently growing micro- businesses. This in retrospect implies that guardians have increasingly been economically empowered to care for the OVC’s. On the other hand, an individual donor has helped in conducting entrepreneurship workshop to beneficiaries. The organization is in the process of outsourcing school fees incentives for the school going OVC’s. By the end of the project in December 2011, this project had 200 household beneficiaries.  

INTENTION TO EXPAND PARTNERSHIP  

With the accomplishments indicated above within our previous partnership with Children’s department, Women Fighting AIDS in Kenya, CACC, Lea toto and MSF Belgium, CLAN, Community Members, Kijiji team are eager to continue working within Kibera and expand horizons in Nairobi area. We recognize that collaborative partnership is key to positive change in the wider community. Whichever way, we wish to promise that Kijiji will do its best to support the realization of the goals of our current and potential partners. We shall quickly put up a strong team, blended with both organizational experiences and the local level experiences to easily bond with and support the community initiatives that we shall be tasked to undertake.

CAP/AIDS who are our partners in Canada linked us to Tour D Afrique who in turn requested Wheels of Africa to support us. We not only thank you for this support but humbly request you to forge a lasting partnership with us through:

I.Training our older orphans and vulnerable children to become professional cyclists.

II.Train them to be cyclist mechanics so that they can earn a living through bicycle repair.
 
III.Fundraising events through cycling to support our education support program

Last but not least we request that Wheels of Africa organize a HIV/AIDS sensitization event in to promote its visibility in Kibera and its environs.

We wish all the cyclists all the best as they cycle to whichever destination. Thanks to the organizers of the event.

P.o. Box: 20821 00202 NAIROBI, KENYA. 
Email kijijichaupendo@yahoo.co.uk 
Web Site www.kijijichaupendo.org 
Office Location: Kambi Muru, Kibera.   
Cell phone + 254 722 499 084

Over the last few months TDA has been developing a partnership with BOOTLEG, a division of Cinelli Bicycles based in Italy.  One goal of this partnership is that through the sale of BOOTLEG/TDA merchandise we will raise 3000 Euros for the TDA Foundation that will be used to purchase bicycles to donate during the 2013 Tourd’Afrique. The merchandise are some beautiful Italian designed cycling caps
and t-shirts. 


These are now available on the Cinelli website
 

As we reported earlier, Tour d'Afrique has been working with a number of partners to get some used bikes to Wheels of Africa in Nairobi so they can set up a bike shop.

After a long sea voyage we are happy to report that the container with the bikes has arrived in Kenya...and more importantly, has cleared customs!



Watch this blog for further updates on the progress on this important venture.

On Saturday, December 3, 2011, Fitness Works for Women, 2171 Queen Street East, Toronto, hosted a fundraiser event to buy bikes for HIV/AIDS workers in Africa. The successful, fun filled event included great prizes such as NHL tickets - Montreal at Toronto - and Spin Master's BAKUGAN in a raffle as well as a 50/50 draw and five fitness classes. The classes, Step & Pump, Pilates, Bootcamp, Belly Dancing and Zumba, were instructed by our staff at Fitness Works for Women. 

The funds raised exceeded our expectations.  Our goal to raise enough funds for ten bikes was quickly surpassed to more than twelve bikes in a few hours on Saturday – with donations still coming in!! 100% of donations go to the purchase of bikes through the Tour d'Afrique Foundation.  Donations can be made at http://www.tourdafrique.com/what-we-do/foundation/donations

The Tour d'Afrique is a bicycle race and expedition that goes through the Continent of Africa from Cairo to Capetown.  The TDA 2012 is the tenth anniversary of the race/expedition.  Along the route, the TDA will be presenting bikes to healthcare workers at various locations.

One of our Fitness Works for Women staff members, Beverley Coburn, is riding in the upcoming 12,000 km, 94 stage tour that leaves Cairo, Egypt on January 14, 2012 and arrives in Capetown, South Africa on May 12, 2012.

Many people contributed to the Tour d'Afrique/Fitness Works for Women fundraiser event:

Velotique Limited
Informco Inc.
Spin Master Ltd
Mrs. Eleanor Coburn
Ann Gotfryd Photography
Kate Whimster, B Com, MIFHI, ND, Kew Beach Health and Wellness
Megan Webster, Webster’s Fine Books and Maps
Janice Battiste
Aysun Parker
Starbucks Coffee Company

as well as our staff:

Ariella Tsafantinos. Owner, Fitness Works for Women, Step & Pump and Pilates instructor
Eva-Mai Fortune, Manager, Fitness Works for Women
Beverley Coburn, TDA 2012 Rider - Bootcamp instructor
Taroub, Belly Dancing instructor
Janice Battiste. Zumba instructor
Judy Carr
Lynda Smart
Kristina Birkhans

and especially:

To all our Fitness Works for Women members and
To all our participants who generously donated to the raffle, 50/50 draw and the fitness classes.

Thank you ALL for making the Tour d'Afrique/Fitness Works for Women Fundraiser - Bikes for HIV/AIDS workers in Africa - such a success!

Our new Tour d’Afrique Foundation T-shirt is now available!

Designed exclusively for Tour d’Afrique by renown Toronto artist, Barbara Klunder, this beautiful and evocative tee is made by metowestyle, a socially conscious Toronto based clothing enterprise.

•    50% Organic Cotton, 50% Recycled Polyester
•    Pesticide & chemical free
•    Sweatshop free
•    Supports sustainable farming
•    1 tree planted for each tee sold
•    50% of metowestyle profits go to Free the Children
•    $10 from each tee sold goes to the TDA Foundation
•    Available in Heather Brown or Heather Green (shown below)

Look good, feel, good, do good.

The T-Shirt costs $30 CAD + $10 shipping worldwide and comes in a range of sizes.

Find out how to get yours here.

2012 Tour d'Afrique rider Beverley Coburn is trying to raise money for our Foundation. See if you can help her out!

10:15 AM - STEP & PUMP

Congratulations to Dan Austin of Austin Lehman Adventures (ALA) for being chosen to receive the 2011 Global Vision Award from Travel and Leisure magazine for their work on Wheels of Change, an charity started by ALA to help ship used bikes to Africa.    Magnanimous as ever here’s what Dan had to say when he won the Award at the Adventure Travel World Summit in Chiapas Mexico on October 19th:

  “This award is for everyone involved in Wheels of Change both in Montana and abroad where the tires ultimately hit the ground in Africa.  We are honored and appreciative of the recognition but our work has just begun,” notes Dan Austin, director of Austin-Lehman Adventures and founder of Wheels of Change

How I know Dan:
I first met Dan as a result of our project to open a bike shop in Nairobi with our friends at Wheels of Africa.
 
A bit of history:
WoA’s dream was to open a bike shop in the Kibera slums to serve the local community.  Prisca Oluch, director at WoA, and I worked together for months putting together a workable business plan and soliciting support from whomever we could get to listen.  

The Tour d’Afrique Foundation had committed $3000 to the project to help with the start up costs of the shop and 2010 Tour d’Afrique Rider Gerald Coniel generously contributed another $2000 from his own pocket.

This money would cover the start up costs of the shop and the cost of transporting bikes from the port n Mombasa to Nairobi.  But we still needed bikes and shipping a container of bikes to Mombasa from the US would cost another $8000.  

Getting that cost covered was critical to the shops success.  We contacted various organizations including Mike Linke at BEN Namibia who had some great advice for us and ultimately introduced us to Dan at Wheels of Change.  

How Dan Saved our Project:
Dan came to our rescue in a big way.  He quickly agreed to help and within a few months he and his team had collected 320 bikes and packed them into a container for shipping.  Wheels of Change covered all the costs of packing and shipping the bikes to the port in Mombasa.
 
A Nairobi Bike Shop to Open Soon:
As we speak the bikes are on the open ocean and due to arrive on November 29th.  Upon arrival WoA will bring them to Nairobi where they are working to build a bike shop and storage facility for the bikes.  100 bikes have already been pre-sold and demand for the others is high.  We are all very excited to see the shop open when the 2012 Tour d’Afrique reaches Nairobi.    The success of the Tour d’Afrique Foundations efforts to encourage and improve access to sustainable forms of transportation in Africa hinges on working with professional, reliable and generous partners like Wheels of Change.    Congratulations again Dan, you deserve it.  I look forward to working with you again in the future.
 
  Paul paul@tourdafrique.com           

Related Links:

Wheels of Change

Wheels of Change collects donated bicycles in the United States to be shipped overseas to Africa. They work closely and are a big supporter of BEN Namibia. 
 
BEN Namibia

BEN Namibia aims to empower disadvantaged Namibians through provision of sustainable transport and bicycle-related income generation opportunities.  

The Tour d’Afrique Foundation

For 10 year the TdAF has been donating bikes to Health Workers in Africa so they can reach more patients and deliver care more effectively.  In 2010 TdAf began supporting Wheels of Africa’s dream of opening a community bike shop in Nairobi.   

Wheels of Africa

Wheels of Africa was formed in October 2008 as an organization to champion the culture of cycling in Africa. To date we have about 30 paid-up members from all walks of life ranging from casual riders, commuter cyclists, bicycle mechanics, competitive bike riders, para-cyclists and both young and older learners, learning to cycle. Wheels of Africa’s vision is to mainstream cycling as a lifestyle and an alternative mode of transport in Africa...  

As avid cyclists I don’t have to tell you how much the sport of cycling can impact someone’s life.   If you’re like me cycling not only keeps you healthy but has helped introduce you to new friends and taken you places that has expanded you worldview.  It that very experience that Trips for Kids is trying to bring to at-risk youth in Urban areas across the US and Canada. 

The Trips for Kids chapters that the Tour d'Afrique Foundation will be supporting as part of our North American tour introduces the sport of cycling to hundreds of kids each year that otherwise would never have the opportunity.

Imagine if you had never ridden a bike.

Many are kids from low income and single parent homes and have never travelled outside their neighborhood.   They do not own bikes themselves so T4K chapters provide the bikes and some offer Earn-a-Bike programs.   Trips for Kids leaders typically take children on 20 - 30 mile mountain bike rides once a week, though some chapters host rides for kids daily.  Chapters work with kids from ages 8 to 18, and help introduce kids to local cycling clubs and to a lifetime of cycling.


 
Riders to Meet four Trips for Kids Chapters on Tour

On tour this year we will have the opportunity to meet or visit four Trips for Kids Chapters:  In San Francisco, Chicago, Ottawa and Yarmouth.

In San Francisco you'll have the opportunity to have lunch with TFK founder and all around inspiration Marilyn Price.  Marilyn started TFK in 1988 with one chapter and now there are 79 chapters across the US, Canada and Israel. 

In Chicago we'll get to meet Bernie Rupe, who runs the Chicago Voyagers program.  Bernie and a few of the kids he works with will meet us on route on the way into Chicago and cook us a hot lunch!  A few of the kids may also join us for the last 10 or 15 kms into town. 

In Ottawa we will get to meet Cat Weaver.   Cat has been taking kids on bike trips for the last 3 years and her group has just recently become an official T4K chapter.

Of all the chapters I visited hers was the most inspirational.  Her passion for the program and the stories she tells about how something as simple as a bike ride has changed kids lives are really moving. 

The last chapter we will visit on tour is TFK Yarmouth run by Jack Harding.  Yarmouth is not on the route of the tour but Jack will meet us at the Ferry in Darby and ride with us for a day or two. 

The Tour d'Afrique Foundation will be donating bikes to four Trips for Kids chapters on this years tour and we ask that you consider helping us to donate even more bikes by donating to the Tour d’Afrique Foundation.   100% of your contributions will go to Trips for Kids. 

You can make a donation here. 

Thanks!