Column Giovanna: Kenya Classic

Dear friends,

This month I would like to use my space on this newsletter to inform you about a great initiative that Hans Struijk Fietsen decided to support.

AMREF Flying Doctors is an international organization based in Africa that, since 50 years, provides air ambulance services and operates across the most isolated regions of the old continent.

The AmrefOutreach Program (their service of air ambulances) today serves 150 hospitals in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia and Southern Sudan, reaching the most isolated villages and giving hope to those who would die otherwise.

The “flying doctors” not only bring healthcare to these areas, but also try to improve and strengthen the whole healthcare system in Africa. They supervise, teach and support the local crews who are responsible for community health in the area, they cooperate with both local and national authorities and they assist the governments in developing the health assistance in the country.

Nowadays the focus of Amref is not only on social and medical issues, like pregnancy, birth, family planning as well as hiv/aids, all of which still cause widespread health problems in Africa, but also on  environmental health, including safe water as well as sanitation and hygiene.

The cycling world is, as always very sensitive to this kind of issues. The same effort put, for instance, in raising funds against cancer, is also put in initiatives to raise funds for Amref.

Through a tough and challenging race, the Kenya Classic, held in Kenya every Oktober, the participants want to call our attention on those troubled countries and on who, like the Amref crew, every day offers his life and experience to support the populations

In six days of heavy racing, the cyclists of the Kenya classic cover 350kms, mainly on red earth and dirt tracks: they ride over open savanna areas, with views over the forests, the Kilimanjaro and other mountains. At the end of the cycling day, they visit the areas where Amref operates, meet the children, the families, all those people working to bring good quality and affordable healthcare closer to those who need it most –

Two very friendly sisters, with a big heart, Juul and Pauline van Leeuwen, customers of Hans Struijk, decided to participate to this race, and to raise funds for Amref.

Hans Struijk decided to help these brave ladies, giving them support.

For those of you that may be interested, Pauline and Juul will keep a diary about the various stages of the Kenya Classic, this coming Oktober. They will forward us pictures of the wild and fascinating land they are going to cross, they will share precious information, to make all of us feel part of something very important, that is to take care and help other people.

Would you be interested in supporting Pauline and Juul, you can contact Juul @ juulvanleeuwen@hetnet.nl, you can click on their Facebook: team M’n zus – Kenya Classic.

For more information about Amref and Kenya Classic, you can have a look at this powerpoint presentation.

Till next time!   Giovanna