|
Cycling to Save Lives
Tortuous hills, searing heat and lashing rainstorms awaited the group of 13 eager cyclists as they set off on the adventure of a lifetime in Ethiopia. The fearless team cycled 350kms across difficult terrain to raise funds for Marternity Worldwide's work saving lives in childbirth.
After spending the first weekend seeing the sights and experiencing the cultural delights of Addis Ababa, the cyclists were keen to get on the road. What followed was 6 days of physical challenge, beautiful scenery, and abundant curiosity from local children, keen to get a look at this funny group of people cycling through their village. Nights were spent camping in compounds and farmers' fields, many stories were shared and friendships made around the nightly campfires.
The cycling group was very diverse, ranging in age from 26 to 64; everyone found the cycling hard going at times. Yet, the team spirit got them through, and the whole group arrived triumphantly at the Maternity Worldwide project in Gimbie, tired and with aching legs but with a great sense of pride and achievement. The group received a very warm welcome from the townspeople, staff and patients at the hospital. The cyclists then spent 3 days at the project, finding out how it worked and visiting clinics as well as pregnant women in local communities. This made the trip even more worthwhile, as the group could see exactly how the funds they had worked so hard to raise went directly to those women most in need in Ethiopia.
Due to popular demand, and after the overwhelming success of the trip in 2005, we will be running the Ethiopia Bike Ride Challenge 2006, from the 27th October to the 8th of November. For more information and a registration form, please contact bikeride@maternityworldwide.org or call us on 01273 711464 to find out more.
|
