Cycling 3 000km to uplift pupils’ lives
TWO directors at the Salaam Foundation, a humanitarian organisation, have put pedal to the metal to raise awareness on the needs of basic education in South Africa, particularly rural and undeveloped areas, by cycling about 3 000km through 50 towns.
The Salaam Foundation and Salaamedia #Riding4SAeducation campaign got off to a flying start at the border town of Musina in Limpopo last Tuesday when Azhar Vadi and Zaheer Pahad began their journey.
They reached Louis Trichardt, a town at the foot of the Soutpansberg mountain range in the Limpopo province, in five hours.
Vadi, 34, and Pahad, 38, said their aim was to raise R1 million.
The money will be used toward acquiring toilets for Batau Primary School in Limpopo, 700 pairs of school shoes and at least 2 000 sanitary pads for female pupils.
It has been found that many pupils, particularly in rural areas, are not attending classes when they get their monthly cycle as they do not have the funds to purchase sanitary pads.
As a result, they lose out on a week of schooling every month and this has subsequently resulted in them performing badly, sometimes dropping out of school.
The foundation also wants to build proper toilets at schools that have pit latrines.
Pahad told POST that cycling 100km on average every day was no easy task.
“We are social and recreational riders and by no means professional. Getting our fitness levels up has been a tough task but we were determined to try our best.”
The businessmen rode down the R101 to Joburg where Pahad stopped and Vadi continued east on the N17.
He branched off at Standerton and headed south towards Newcastle, Ladysmith and Pietermaritzburg.
Vadi is expected to arrive in Durban today.
Then it’s the N2 to Cape Town, where he is expected to complete the awareness cycle at Cape Point, notching up about 3 000km.
Vadi said that along with the awareness campaign, the foundation had also sought funds to assist schools build simple kitchens, so food could be distributed on site to feed hungry kids.
He said the ride had been challenging.
“We visited many schools along the way and spoke to pupils on the importance of education. We also met with non-profit organisations, community leaders and politicians to highlight the cause and the attempts being made to ensure the conditions at schools are conducive to learning.”