Part of the Fedhealth team who participated in the 2012 Fedhealth Tour de Tuli.
Once again, the Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Fedhealth Tour de Tuli lived up to its reputation of being a successful and unique cycle tour, both from the point of view of the cyclists, the volunteers – and no less, those who benefit: Children in the
Comprising four and a half days and 300 km of serious single-track riding, mainly, along elephant and other game trails deep into rural areas, 320 cyclists from 19 different countries rode through Botswana, Zimbabwe and South Africa, starting in the Northern Tuli Game Reserve and ending in Mapungubwe National Park, a World Heritage Site. 150 crew members, volunteers and marshals worked hard to ensure the success of the tour. Other incredible numbers include:
* 17 Land Rover volunteers assisted with logistics and route planning.
* 12 500 meals were served by Mango Catering over five days.
* 150 tonnes of equipment was transported by Supergroup – of which 35 tonnes was drinking water, soft drinks and alcoholic beverages. 50 tonnes of water was shipped into the Zimbabwe camps alone via a water tanker supplied by Nottingham Estates to supply showers for the three nights, with a further 20 000 litres being utilised in Botswana and 15 000 litres in Mapungubwe via borehole at each of the latter sites.
* Finally: over 4 000 cups of Bean There coffee were served!
However, there was more to this year’s Tour de Tuli than the high standards of organisation, the challenging ride and the amazing all-round experience.
On the second day of the tour, CITW Director, Rita Bachmann, and CITW Zimbabwe Coordinator, Sue Goatley, together with Alec Dangare from the Zimbabwe Task Team for the Greater Mapungubwe National Conservation Area, Tesa Chikaponya, Executive Director Zimbabwe Tourism, the Hon. M Mudau and T.B. Mohadi, members of parliament for Beitbridge Constituency visited Shashe Village in Zimbabwe. Together they met with the community leaders to hand over a donation from CITW of US$1 500 to the two communities of Gwanda and Beitbridge. The community was thrilled – and the children of Shashe even more so as the cyclists rode through the village handing out the 300 soccer balls donated by Let’s Play!
Another project that was initiated during this year’s Tour was that of Maramani Village School 14, which is in desperate need of school buildings and equipment. Many cyclists expressed an interest in assisting with the development of this school, and US$3 000 was duly donated for this purpose, as well as a commitment to making the school a beneficiary of future Tour de Tulis.
Laura L. Rodríguez, a cyclist from Mexico, summed it up: “My ‘Golden Moment’ came on the second day of the tour. Our group took the short loop (47.4km) from Maramani Camp. As we approached a village where we had a scheduled rest stop, I saw some children anxiously waiting for us. They ran behind us yelling, "Squeeze me, squeeze me!" I was so overwhelmed by emotion that I had to stop and hug them. Seeing their enthusiasm and smiles from ear to ear was by far my most beautiful and touching moment. After all, I was there for them.”
The title sponsor for Tour de Tuli, Fedhealth was equally thrilled with the event. “We were delighted to once again be the sponsor for this amazing ride. This was our second year and each year it only gets more impressive.
It is great to be working with a team who share our passion towards healthier lifestyles, conservation and the future sustainability of communities. As for the cycling, it was excellent. We had a bigger team this year and were able to interact with our clients in one of the most pristine natural environments in the world, and of course all proceeds are for a good cause. We will definitely stay involved in the promotion of the charity amongst our client base,” commented Peter Jordan, Principal Officer of Fedhealth.
For Russel Friedman, an Executive Director of Wilderness Safaris, this tour was particularly meaningful, “as my two brothers, nephew and cousin came from North America to ride the tour, joining my daughter Gabi and some friends from South Africa. It was a great bonding experience to be able to spend four days with the family riding, which is our passion, in such pristine wilderness areas. The Tour de Tuli creates amazing friendships between people from many different walks of life, but the children of CITW are the main reason for which we all sign up. I believe that this must be one of the best causes, where one can practise a hobby, breathing fresh air and being privileged to ride in such amazing wilderness areas with big game – and still contribute to such a good cause.”
Now in its eighth year, the Tour de Tuli has become one of South Africa’s premier mountain biking events. Aside from the professionalism of the event, its raison d’être is a vital fundraiser for the Children in the Wilderness programme – a non-profit initiative to educate rural children on the importance of conservation. While the figures are not final yet, the contribution to Children in the Wilderness is estimated to be between R1.7 and 2 million, all of which will go to the costs of running camp programmes, eco-clubs and mentor training.
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