PURPOSE

I plan to depart on an adventure that will change my live, but more importantly will change lives and give life to people in Africa.

There is also a personal ambition and legacy to do this journey, as my Grandfather (Dr Theo Friis – who was the Director of Libraries in South Africa), imported a Pontiac Chieftain from America to London and did the overland trip from London to Cape Town in the late 1950’s. This was the first Pontiac Chieftain imported into South Africa then; my father at that time was 5 years old. My uncle, Andre Friis, did the same journey (in his twenties) as a backpacker in 1978. This legacy of my predecessors motivated me to take on the challenge and fulfill my dream of exploring Africa on my motorbike.

My journey will start in London and end in Cape Town, and I will do this in aid of ‘Riders for Health’ (http://www.riders.org). ‘Riders for Health believes that in the 21st century, people living in rural Africa should not die of easily preventable diseases simply because they cannot be reached.

Riders for Health (R4H) is a non-governmental organization dedicated to reaching communities in rural Africa with health care on a regular basis by establishing an infrastructure of reliable and sustainable transportation.  R4H mobilize health workers from ministries of health and local organizations, enabling them to reach outlying communities with vital and often life-saving health care.

The organisation is dedicated to overcoming the gap in health care delivery and ensuring that help finally reaches those suffering. They have established a locally run transport management infrastructure that makes sure that their partners can reach their beneficiaries. Riders is mobilizing over one thousand health workers from a range of organizations, helping to reach ten million people with regular health care.

Using motorcycles in Africa is not a new idea, but Riders’ holistic approach to providing integrated, managed transportation.

I therefore find it appropriate to pursue this voyage on a motorcycle, to commemorate all the riders currently providing this critical service to poor communities.