News

Greetings from the Cuanza River, we are all alive and well and just south of Luanda in Angola. The journey thus far has proved a challenging adventure, not without bumps, bureaucrats, torn tyres and non-existent roads. We have been able to do great humanitarian work especially now that we get to more populated areas. Many people here are desperate and the expedition’s humanitarian efforts to save and improve lives through adventure are hugely rewarding.

We thank SANParks for its interest in this world first humanitarian expedition. Its 58 days since the expedition was launched on Africa Malaria Day and we will long remember being escorted out of the Mother City by a world record breaking 347 Land Rovers – a massive act of solidarity in support of malaria prevention.

Humanitarian Action – Saving and Improving Lives Through Adventure

To date in a campaign called “Teaching on the Edge” the expedition had distributed 22 mobile libraries to remote schools up the West Coast of South Africa, and in Namibia around Luderitz, Walvis Bay and Ruacana. The One Net One Life malaria prevention campaign in which mosquito nets are distributed to pregnant mothers and to children under the age of five has commenced as has the right to sight programme in which spectacles are given to the poor sighted. In Angola thousands of pencils, pens and exercise books have been distributed to remote bush schools. On Wednesday 20 June we held a malaria day in Luanda at Centro de Saude Boavista, a downtown clinic in the centre of the city in which mosquito nets were distributed to pregnant mums and babies. This very successful event went out on local radio, TV and press, the story of a South African led expedition caring for the people of Africa.

A Teaching on the Edge event attended by a delegation from Centurus Colleges in South Africa was held at the primary school at Foz do Cuanza, the mouth of the Cuanza River. British Airways helped facilitate this visit as did Mr Bruce Bennett, general manager of the Cuanza River Lodge. British Airways supported One Net One Life malaria prevention events have also been held in the area of Foz do Cuanza and are included in the visual report back.

The expedition will leave Luanda on 22nd June to head north to Soyo at the mouth of the Congo River. Once again thanks to SANParks’ support the Angolan section of the expedition has been a great success.

Muinto Obrigado

Kingsley Holgate, Leader Outside Edge humanitarian expedition