Cycling for a Cause

The scorching heat, rough roads, wild animals, and the risk of getting lost are just some of the challenges awaiting Andrew and his team of six other cyclists. Yet Andrew keeps his good spirits and sense of humour, sharing regular updates on social media as the team begins their gruelling 1,600km cycling adventure across East Africa.

"Our little adventure will support free education for students whose families can't afford it," writes Andrew on one of his social media posts. "Every AU$3,200 we raise can fund one student's education for a year, including stationery, tuition, transport, boarding, extracurricular programs – everything they would need for a successful education. That's a good enough motivation," he shares. 

Andrew is no stranger to challenging himself for St Jude's. In 2019, he went on a solo adventure to cycle about 1,600km in East Africa to raise funds for the school. This was followed by another similarly demanding challenge in 2020 with nine other cyclists. When he couldn't travel to East Africa in 2021 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, he rode the Red Hill in Canberra 41 times, equalling the elevation of Africa's tallest mountain, Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

Now, five years since his first solo adventure, Andrew is returning to East Africa for a third round of adventure with six other motivated cyclists. Some are returning from previous expeditions, while a few are joining for the first time. One cyclist, who found the team on Facebook, joined after commenting, "I'm struggling to find a reason not to do this."

Although most of the team is mostly made up of men from older generations with established careers in law, banking, and medicine, this year's trip features a welcome change. One of the members from the previous expedition is bringing his son along for the adventure, making them the first father-son duo to cycle for St Jude's. 

"We are particularly delighted to have someone to bring the average age of the team down by a significant amount," notes Andrew. "But we're all scared of him because we think he'll be an awful lot fitter than us old guys!" adds Andrew jokingly. 

The adventure is underway, with the team riding from Kigali, Rwanda, heading east across Tanzania. They entered Tanzania a few weeks ago and are now pushing to the northeast corner of the country. In between, they will pass Lake Victoria, Africa's largest lake, loop around the iconic Mt Kilimanjaro, and touch the Kenyan border to the east. The route will take them through Arusha, where they will briefly visit St Jude's to see firsthand the impact of their support. 

"The ride has been developed in the true spirit of adventure. Each day, we will ride to the next general destination, find somewhere to stay and something to eat, and get up the next day to do it all again!" shares Andrew on his fundraising website.  

"By the end of the ride, we will have seen some of what Africa's all about, from the busy cities to villages to farms to Maasai grazing lands to amazing wildlife," he adds. 

Andrew and his team are hoping to raise AU$20,000 for St Jude's throughout the cycling adventure. You can follow their progress on Instagram, Facebook, and their website, where they share photos and stories while on the road. By donating or simply sharing their journey, you can be part of this amazing story and help students access quality, holistic education.