Successful cycling start for Malawi’s Clean Water Cycle 999 charity initiative
The two Malawian cyclists, Stewart Kambewa and Kwame Kayira, who have embarked on a long cycling trip on Saturday from Nsanje to Chitipa and back to Blantyre (1,755kms) to raise funds for charity covered 162.96kms on day one from Nsanje to Chikwawa.
They spent the night and at Dyeratu in Chikwawa and from 5am on Sunday, they started off for the second leg in which they finished ascending the meandering slopes from Chikwawa around 7am.
They passed through Blantyre City around 9:30am on their way to Balaka where they will rest after covering close to 160kms.
Team leader Kambewa said so far everything is smooth and they are enthusiastic to successfully complete the mission.
“We have received so much support along the way and we thank all who waved at us along the way because that’s a gesture of encouragement.
“Whoever will sponsor us is a true Malawian. We’ll do our best,” he said.
As an example of their serious intention, the group
handed over on 17th September a borehole in Mehera Village, Traditional Authority Mkanda in Mulanje District.
Present on the day were the cyclists, group village headman Mehera, councillor for the area which is in Chambe Ward Benson Bottoman Makwinja and group village headman Mehera. The cost for the borehole is K1.5 million.
They target to raise MK15.5 million to drill the boreholes in Nsanje, Mulanje, Balaka, Dedza, Salima, Dowa, Nkhata Bay, Mzimba and Chitipa.
“One borehole costs approximately MK1.5 million,” Kambewa said. “This translates to an estimated MK13.5 million for the nine boreholes.
“Besides, there will also be a need for an additional MK1.974 million to cater for all the other incidental costs for the activity. In total, we need MK15.5 for the whole initiative.”
The group, which has been cycling for leisure but would now like to engage in social responsibilities to the benefit of the nation, is inviting the corporate world and other sympathisers to partner with Cycle For Change for sponsorship support that can either be direct — through monetary, or materially — or indirect through what they have termed as ‘Adopt a Borehole’ initiative or any other means that sponsors find it possible and best to support the cause.
“Water is a great foundation of life, but clean water is life. In many parts of our country, especially rural areas, finding a reliable source of clean water is often time-consuming and expensive. In some places, it is simply dry.
“In others, this most critical need is literally only a few feet below ground waiting to sustain life. Many people spend their entire day at times walking long distances searching for clean water.
“Time lost gathering water and suffering from water-borne diseases is limiting people’s true potential, especially women and girls. Education is lost to sickness, so are the other contributors to the country’s social and economic development,” the group says in its appeal.”
They will cycle from Nsanje to Chitipa in 10 days from October 1-10 and back from Mzuzu to Blantyre in five days from October 13-17.
They say those interested to support financially can do so through bank account name of Cycle for Change at FMB Blantyre Branch savings account number 0003502001333, or Airtel Money: 0997 111 444 and TNM Mpamba: 0888 354 285.
Once they start off, they will be updating their activity through their Facebook page cycleforchangemalawi.
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