Kaushik's Mumbai to Goa bike ride
In January 2023 Kaushik Shah rode 350km from Mumbai to Goa by bike on behalf of One Kind Act. Kaushik rode to help fund Made with Hopes classroom renovation plans at Oldenderet primary school, Arusha, Tanzania.
Children at Oldenderet Primary sending support to Kaushik on his ride
Kaushik raised over £6,500 !!!
On average it costs just £2750/£3000 to renovate a whole classroom, including new desks. The money Kaushik has raised will renovate more than 2 whole classrooms which enables 45 children per classroom to have access to their education.
100% of the money raised will go towards Oldenderet Primary School classroom renovations!
Like many other Government schools, Oldenderet school faces several challenges in supporting children in education. You can read all about the school here: Oldenderet Primary School — Made With Hope. The school does not have safe and clean classrooms for children to learn. The classrooms are not conducive for learning purposes because they do not have rainproof roofing, proper windows and doors, and enough desks, which makes it hard for teachers and students to focus. This has led to a decline in the morale of students and teachers at the school. We want to renovate these classrooms so children can be excited about coming to school knowing they will have the facilities to learn, play and concentrate. A lack of access to education can lead to children dropping out of school which greatly impacts their future opportunities and life chances.
Renovating the existing dilapidated classrooms will massively improve the learning environment for over 358 students!
The existing classrooms at Oldenderet that desperately need renovating
We asked Kaushik how it went…
1. What made you choose MWH to support?
I have been road biking for about 15 years and have done various challenge events in that time. When I saw that One Kind Act (OKA) was running a Mumbai to Goa (M2G) cycling challenge of 375km over 5 days, I was hooked. The prospect of a group ride abroad was appealing. But more importantly, was the charitable cause for which funds were being raised – to improve the life chances of those who need it most through education.
I have supported MWH via OKA previously having contributed to a water tank project in Tanzania in memory of parents and my wife’s parents. More recently, I have become aware of their programme to enable education access for the poor in rural parts of Tanzania by building schools, toilet & sanitation facilities, and provision of clean water – all the basic necessities for a good learning environment. I admire MWH, it is run really well by its dedicated volunteers, involves and partners with the local community in projects and this is a sustainable way forward in making a difference.
2. What was your motivation to do this particular ride?
There were many reasons – my last big challenge was a charity fundraiser in 2018 to trek up to the Annapurna Mountains range base camp in the Himalayas, which was an incredible experience of a lifetime. I felt another challenge was in me and so signed up to the Mumbai to Goa ride – I looked forward to a totally different bike ride experience on Indian roads.
Such challenges are fulfilling as there is camaraderie within the group that helps you when things get hard but also there is lots of fun & enjoyment along the way.
You can learn a lot about yourself in terms of physical and mental resilience, listening to your body and fulfilling your commitment. In addition, you keep reminding yourself of the purpose of the challenge and from that get the sense of pride in your achievement once completed.
3. What was the hardest part of the ride?
There were several tough aspects, which all riders would agree with and of course, a challenge is meant to be exactly that….a challenge. The daytime heat was searing, the road conditions were harsh with endless bumps, potholes & skidding stones, the hills climbing was relentless with kilometre after kilometre of ascents and the steep descents when the hands go numb from constant braking and lastly, navigating busy & congested villages with scooters, cows and speed breakers coming at you from nowhere!
4. What was the best part of the ride?
Kaushik on his ride!
There were so many things that we almost forgot about how tired we were! Riding through small villages and towns in the early morning fresh air, birds chirping away, sunrays hitting the road through endless palm trees, the waft of incense & morning breakfast food, ladies dressed immaculately in saris on the way somewhere, boys & girls in uniforms on the way to school or cheering us from the school bus as it passed us by and on-lookers giving us a thumbs up.
Further into the ride, the sight of lush green paddy fields, crossing many, many bridges across rivers with fishing communities or small towns, the sight of the sandy beach and ocean when we first hit the coastline and several golden sunsets at the end of a day’s ride.
Best of all, it was being part of group that pushed itself with humour, music, and will-power towards our destinations.
5. Did you enjoy raising funds and cycling for Oldenderet school? If yes, why?
Of course, and without any regrets. I was very conscious that many families and friends had generously donated and I wanted to fulfil my part of the bargain and earn every £1 of donation with sweat! Everyone’s support and encouragement for this endeavour was humbling for me.
Just as important, was seeing the amazing video from MWH of all the school children – those messages were truly uplifting, gave me lots of energy for the challenge and inspired me. I especially loved the motivational words around the bike, that was clever. And the letter from Dometila was heart-warming and such a joy to read.
My most abiding memory of this challenge was of something that happened on my last riding day: with a fellow rider going through a busy village/small town we noticed ahead a little girl hauling a heavy load. We passed her, I slammed my brakes & turned round to see she had crossed the road. I called after her to stop - she was wearing red rags for shirt & shorts, her body was covered in brown dirt, her dirty hair was matted in dust, she had skinny legs & arms, she was barefoot in the heat, and could not have been older than six. She was on her own and dragging what looked like a heavy sack of coal or firewood. I reached her, not sure what to do, gave her money saying it was for her and her parents. She slowly took it, paused, smiled and with a twinkle in her eyes said, “thank you”. Then she carried on with her load. I will not see her again and will not know what life chances she will have. At that moment I realised why we were doing this challenge – that little girl’s challenge was far bigger and tougher than mine.
But I do know that with the donations for Oldenderet School, we will be making a difference to such children from poor backgrounds to attend school, have clean water and toilets. We will be giving them an opportunity for a better life.
My cycle journey has ended and for some poor child somewhere their life journey starts in a classroom.
We want to say a huge thankyou to Kaushik and the One Kind Act team for their incredible effort and to everyone who donated for their generosity. We cannot wait to see the impact these classrooms have on students grades and attendance. If you would like to contribute to classroom reservations you can click the button below…Thankyou!