The first of many challenging days

Up early to be greeted by a fantastic cooked breakfast. Claire and her husband are travelling with Team AR to ensure that the trip includes culinary delights! So with a breakfast of egg, bacon, sausage and cereals, the team set off in the truck to go and pick up their bikes, now all complete with trusted saddles as the missing cases had turned up as promised.

The ride started on tarmac and gradually turned to tarmac with pot holes, sand with pot holes, compacted dirt with pot holes and finally dusty maize fields that went on and on and on and on. Nick was still croaky from swallowing so much dust when I spoke to him this evening. Today's biggest challenge was an enormously steep hill that tested the most muscular of thighs.....but the pasta lunch in the shade under the trees helped restore aching limbs.

The friendliness of the villagers is overwhelming. Every time Team AR stop for water or a rest, everyone pours out of their huts and shacks to greet the cyclists. Children pose for the cameras and then clamour around trying to spot themself on the camera's digital viewer. Riding through the villages, the children hold their hands out and try to high 5 or shake hands with the cyclists...and shout friendly 'hey buana, good cycling' messages at them.

Happy, tired and probably a little bit smelly, but all looking forward to tomorrow.

Total punctures today : 2

What, no saddle?

Having carefully packed their bike saddles into suitcases, it seems 7 of our intrepid cyclists have a problem - their baggage has gone missing. Ongoing investigation has unearthed what is possibly their bags sitting in Johannesburg airport. WIth a bit of luck they'll be flown down to Lusaka and the bike ride will commence tomorrow as planned.

In the meantime, they are please to report sightings of giraffe, zebra, ostrich and antelope wondering around the grounds outside the hotel (behind a wired fence). They have been told to look out for a very proud new mother buffalo, but to stay well away as they are dangerous enough without the protective maternal instinct.

Fingers crossed the suitcases and saddles turn up in good time. I don't think it's possible to create a makeshift saddle!

Johannesburg Sunshine

Nick sent a text this morning saying that they had arrived safely in Johannesburg and were sitting in the airport sunshine enjoying an early morning cappucino before their next flight to Lusaka.

The big day has arrived

Dropped Nick off at the airport and met his fellow cyclists.

Elaine handed out everyone's cycling shirts - very smart! Each person has their name on the collar so there is no mistaking who is who! The sponsor logos are emblazoned across chest, back, armpits and sleeves in a variety of colours, they will be easy to spot as the team snake their way across Zambia.

Everybody did their bit by squeezing deflated footballs into their suitcases - these are gifts for the children at the school they go to as part of the charity visit. Lets hope someone has a pump.

We left everyone joining the queue at the check-in desk - many introductions and hand shaking going on.

10 days seems like forever when you're not joining in!


___________________
Just received a phone call to say they are about to board the plane. Everyone is full of beer, nachos and excitement.

Good luck guys!

Our Vision, Our Mission, Our Values & Beliefs

Our Vision:
Our vision is of an Africa where all people are empowered with the skills and resources they need to lift themselves out of poverty

Our Mission:
Our mission is to provide assistance to poor communities in East & Southern Africa through appropriate, effective and sustainable education and income generating projects

Our Objectives:
We work directly with communities to -

• Support universal basic education for children by providing fundamentals such as classrooms, books, desks, water, sanitation and teacher support


• Establish financial and educational linkages between schools in the UK and Africa
  Sponsor appropriate vocational, health and agricultural training


• Pilot and develop income generating projects e.g. bee-keeping, vegetable farming, designed with specific reference to the local need and context

Our Values:

• Impact: We prioritize making a direct impact in communities; as such our UK administration costs are sponsored to maximize donations to Africa


• Accountability: We take the responsibility for both our donors’ funding and beneficiaries’ expectations seriously through close monitoring of project implementation and spend


• Sustainability: We seek to ensure ownership and minimize dependency through the active involvement of local communities in the development and implementation of projects


• Appropriate intervention: We assess local context and adapt our support so that it is appropriate to community needs


• Coordination : We seek out, collaborate and exchange ideas with others who share our vision


• Organizational effectiveness: As a team of volunteers, staff and trustees we seek to maximize our effectiveness through a professional and best practice approach

Our Beliefs

• We believe that improved education and economic growth are the keys to a brighter future for Africa


• We see the positives - acknowledging that there are huge challenges to overcome we are constantly inspired by the determination, resilience and optimism of the people we work with and assist in Africa


• We believe in equality of access for all people and therefore select projects based solely on need

AFRICAN REVIVAL ZAMBIA BIKE RIDE 16 – 25 MAY 2009

ITINERARY

Day 1 – Saturday 16 May
Overnight flight from London to Lusaka via Johannesburg

Day 2 – Sunday 17 May
Transfer to hotel
Team briefing
Test bikes

Day 3 – Monday 18 May
Kafue – Mazabuka
approx 73kms
Terrain : mix of tar roads & good dirt roads, tough going

Day 4 – Tuesday 19 May
Mazabuka – Monze
approx 94kms
Transfer to Choma
Terrain : first 20km is on tarred road then off road. Roads vary from good dirt roads to slightly sandy

Day 5 – Wednesday 20 May
Choma – Lake Kariba – Choma
approx 88kms
Terrain: unknown - lakeside roads, tough going

Day 6 – Thursday 21 May
Choma – Kalomo
approx 78kms
Terrain: 70kms of off-road. Dirt roads are generally in good condition with just a few small sandy sections, untouched by tourism.

Day 7 – Friday 22 May
Kalomo – Livingstone
approx 69kms
A special start to the morning as we visit two of African Revival’s projects in the area at Kinnertone & Maziba Farm.
Terrain: tarred road with potholes to negotiate

Day 8 – Saturday 23 May
Relax, we’ve done it!

Day 9 – Sunday 24 May
Transfer to Livingstone airport for our flight to London via Johannesburg.

Day 10 – Monday 25 May
Arrive London

5 days and counting!

As the team prepare and get in their final training rides, yet more sponsorship and donations are pledged.

A massive thank you to all who have made this possible