The Makunduchi Project Cycle Ride 2010

Well, the first ever cycle ride around Zanzibar has been completed and raised an amazing £80,000 with monies still coming in.

Fifty people from under 2 to over 70 yearsof age had an experience of a lifetime... Here is a first hand account from one of them:

" I've just returned from an amazing (and amazingly successful) trip to Zanzibar. An eventful trip, including lost luggage, lost flight bookings, left people, lost passport, 'lost' brakes or other fairly essential parts (saddle, pedals and chain all went in one go at one point) but against adversity 320km of cycling achieved by us all! Also, some fantastic (and interesting) accommodation, meeting lots of local people and experiencing the often extreme poverty on what is one of the most beautiful islands in the world, speaking Swahili, swimming with dolphins in the Indian Ocean, meeting the Colobus monkey (the only place in the world you can see them), terrible upset stomachs, and one of us having a near miss with a truck, and of course some fantastic new friendships being created - to name but a few of the experiences.

Most vivid memories being the hundreds of beautiful children running up to us and waving us on shouting 'Jambo Jambo' (Hello) on our way round the whole island, constantly beaming and laughing, despite their poverty and conditions. It was very poignant to remember that 1 in 6 children die before their 7th birthday, with the majority dying before they are 2 due to the poor health conditions.

The highlight of the trip was arriving at Makunduchi Hospital and seeing first hand the work that is being done to address this, and what all the money that has been donated contributes to. Women can now give birth more safely and all mothers will soon be treated for free, in a proper hospital that now includes a newly built primary care unit and an ambulance service (of sorts). We experienced the work first hand when a 22 year old mother with severe pneumonia and newborn baby, both with HIV, were being treated before our very eyes, and hopefully another two lives will be saved. The money raised will pay for a much needed new maternity ward and facilities to directly help reduce the mother and baby mortality rate in Makunduchi further. Thank you Ru and team for allowing us to be part of this amazing event and achievement. "

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