Are you ready for the most amazing challenge of your life? Join the Malawi Bike Ride 2012! Participants of the Malawi Bike Ride 2012 will explore Malawi’s scenic lakes, lively cities, and renowned National Park through a 5 day cycle adventure of a lifetime that takes place over a 10 trip to Malawi from the 1st-10th July 2012. The proceeds from the event will help support Link Community Development’s work to improve access to quality education in Malawi. Link Community Development needs your help to make the second annual Malawi Bike Ride the best yet!
For more information about the event and how to register, please go to: http://www.lcdinternational.org/scotland/The_Malawi_Bike_Ride.htm.”
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Sport
Malawi Bike Ride 2012
(8 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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Hi Link Scotland - I have looked at your website and have one key question. You require cyclists to raise a minimum of £2950 - how much of this goes to good causes and how much covers expenses?
SRD - do you have a view on this form of fund raising? No need to reply if you think this is too personal a question, I'm just interested in your clearly expert opinion on issues around aid and Africa.
Just to be clear - I cannot go on this due to other commitments (and far too few friends to tap for £3k sponsorship) but do wonder about sponsoring anyone undertaking one of these "challenges" and whether I would be better off giving money directly to a charity working in the area.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Morningsider - sorry for the delay in reply.
In terms of straight efficacy, then your best bet is probably to send money to Sciaf or Oxfam or your preferred charity. I should be clear that this is not my area of specialization, but I have given SCIAF some advice over the years and been very impressed with how they work and their connections with their 'partners' (recipient communities). It seems much less visible on this side of Scotland.
On the other hand, the bicycle scheme probably draws in people who might not otherwise get involved, and probably does a lot more public awareness/'conscientization' and what not. I have no idea if anyone 's done research on the effectiveness of these schemes, but will see what I can find.
Posted 12 years ago # -
@SRD, I am right in thinking, am I not, that is not the first time this sponsored ride has been done? I think it must be a couple of years ago that I did think about it myself as well as sponsored rides to the Caribbean and have not done any of them for the simple reason that I know that I could not raise the sponsorship money.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Sorry for the delay in reply! The sponsorship target for the Malawi Bike Ride is £2,950, but many participants of our 2011 Bike Ride were able to raise much more! We do not know the exact tour cost yet as it depends on the group charge for flights and on how many participants take part, but it is likely that the approximate tour cost will be £1,750 which includes:
· Flights from Heathrow(excluding airport taxes of about £250)
· Accommodation throughout
· All transfers
· Full recce of route
· All meals except lunch on free day
· English speaking tour guides
· Back up support to include: vehicles for luggage; spares; water and food; mechanic and medic
· Bike hire for the duration of the tour together where necessary with equivalent replacements and spare parts which conform to local safety standards and qualified personnel to attend to any replacements or repairs.
· Representative from Classic Tours
· Event organisation and managementThe rest of the funds go directly towards Link's educational development programs. While every fundraising event has to direct a portion of the funds to event costs, the larger the organization the greater chance money may be diverted to a wider range of areas within the organization. Working with Link Community Development, and participating on the Malawi Bike Ride, you will know exactly where your sponsorship funds are going and will be visiting Link project schools while in Malawi so you can see for yourself the work Link is doing and how your fundraising will help.
This will be our second year running this event; for information on the success of our 2011 Bike Ride, you can go to: http://www.lcdinternational.org/scotland/The_Malawi_Bike_Ride/Stories.htm
Please let me know if you have anymore questions!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Link Scotland - thank you very much for your reply, I'm impressed that you released these figures. I have to admit I would be much happier sponsoring someone on such a trip if I knew they were paying the costs themselves, otherwise it would feel like I was subsidising a nice holiday for someone.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Agree. It would make more sense to have the person pay their costs and reduce the amount of sponsorship they need to raise to £1,200. At least then it's clear what the charity gets and that public support is for the charity not the holiday.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Good points both. Unfortunately I quite sympathize with their troubles in predicting costs. Very unpredictable, especially with current swings in currencies (worse in places like Zambia, but presume still affects Malawi).
Haven't been following Malawi news lately, but I heard yesterday that Zim army troops had been sent in to 'help' police disturbances...
Posted 12 years ago #
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