No chickens on Nando’s cycle ride
The Nando's AIDS Ride has taken place annually for the past eight years.
More than 25 per cent of all people in this country suffer from HIV or Aids.
This startling statistic was the reason for a small group of Nando’s employees setting off on a cross-country cycle in 2006, trekking from from Gauteng to KwaZulu-Natal to raise funds and generate awareness for this epidemic.
Franchisee, Cesar Dias said the cycle was established to raise support for staff members with the disease.
A former chief executive officer in the restaurant chain, Mr Dias described how over the past eight years, the mission of the Nando’s Aids Ride has grown to encompass supporting underprivileged children residing in LIV villages.
“The LIV concept is to look after children who are traumatised and mostly HIV positive. The village is situated in Verulam, near Durban.”
Each house within the LIV village has one mother with two children, who adopts and cares for a maximum of eight other children in exchange for free use of the home and its amenities, as well as schooling for the household.
Those who have been a part of the project describe the village as a secure environment for a growing child.
“A new village is also being built at Mamelodi – we are riding to raise funds for the villages,” Mr Dias added.
The 30-person cycle team, including Nando’s top management and a host of riders from South Africa and even England, will also be generating funds for medical equipment and medicine for residents a the LIV village.
In the words of Mr Dias, he hoped to inspire recognition for their cause.
“Aids is a disease we need to take seriously.”
Most riders on the tour are avid cyclists, who wholeheartedly applauded the support shown by municipalities, SAPS and traffic officials in each town they have passed through.
Mr Dias also thanked March Padayachee of the local franchise for his generosity.
“FedAuto also assisted us this year; thank you to Allan Kirkland and his team who donated soccer balls.”
Mr Kirkland’s daughters, Lisa Kirkland and Phyllis Mostert presented the soccer balls to the cyclists, who in turn donated both the balls and dolls to boys and girls in the LIV village.
A ball autographed by the cycling team was auctioned off along on the ride.
“The cycle is a six-day event from November 26 to December 1. World Aids Day falls into this time frame, which is appropriate.”
Speaking on the cycle thus far, Mr Dias said they were rained out on Thursday (November 28), forcing cyclists to stop riding due to the danger posed by motorists.
Mr Dias said it was unfortunate the team missed out on some of the local sights.
“I love cycling down Majuba Pass and I’m sad to have missed that this year.”
Mr Padayachee and operations manager for Nando’s Newcastle, Dhiraj Singh, wished the team well and thanked them heartily for their visit and generosity over the years.
