BIKE AFRICA the adventure began on January 15, 2012 to benefit Keep the Dream 196, an organisation reaching out to some of the 1.5 million children orphaned as a result of HIV in South Africa. Australian school teacher Mark McNamara and cycling mascot Katie Dee, an Australian koala, are riding through communities being supported by Keep the Dream 196’s life skills programs.
And as a gesture of solidarity, two thousand adventurous souls from Australia and South Africa embarked on their own 7000 kilometre, virtual race across the continent in support of children who struggle to achieve their dreams. Teams accumulate kilometres by cycling, running or walking to match the distance being cycled the Aussie duo.
RACE ACROSS AFRICA team ‘locations’ are plotted along the BIKE AFRICA route map according to cumulative distances they have achieved.
Participatants in the virtual race learn about the two countries and their cultures, whilst gaining a positive perspective on Africa by working together to achieve an ambitious goal. They will also benefit from the physical exercise involved in completing the task.
The BIKE AFRICA web site, provides teacher resources, profiles of African nations along the route and research on the benefits of cycling. Information has been curated by the following education partners: New Internationalist Publications, The Global Education Centre, The Cycling Promotion Fund, The Australian Koala Foundation and Zoos South Australia.
To ensure that the message of BIKE AFRICA doesn’t end when the last mile is completed, a documentary will record the adventure building to a climax with the life-changing work of Keep the Dream 196. The documentary will be a legacy that educates and opens hearts to the possibility of change for the better.
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