The #Riding4Education campaign, which aims to spread learning across the country, wheeled into the Vryheid area recently.
Driven by humanitarian journalism platform, Salaamedia, the fourth edition of the challenge saw cyclists begin a trek of more than 2 000 kilometres across three provinces, setting off in mid-February.
The project focuses on schools in the utmost rural areas and children seeking education in the most trying circumstances.
Aiming to make this year’s #Riding4Education particularly eye-opening, the riders documented the needs and challenges of learners in ‘forgotten’ rural areas from the starting point in Musina in Limpopo, near the Zimbabwean border.
From their, the team made its way down to the Chatsworth area in KwaZulu-Natal.
The team of riders made a pit stop at Hluma Public Intermediate School on the outskirts of Vryheid, where they were welcomed with traditional dances and singing from the learners.
Cyclist spoke to the learners about the challenges they faced.
Some reported walking more than 20 kilometres to school and back on a daily basis.
As this was the team’s first time at Hluma School, the challenges were only documented and will hopefully be addressed in the near future.
The #Riding4Education team then treated the learners with party packs and stationery.
According to representatives of the initiative, the primary aim was to open a computer centre in the heart of Unit 2 in Chatsworth, at Summerfield Primary School.
This happened on February 29.
“On this journey, it was discovered some of the schools don’t have classrooms and have classes in the shade of trees, compared to other schools which are in need of desperate repairs.”
To become part of this initiative, you can contribute to the #Riding4Education fund:
Bank – First National Bank
Account name – Salaam Foundation
Account number – 6266 9147 665
Branch code – 250737
Reference – Edu
As the late former State President, Nelson Mandela once said: “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mine worker can become the head of the mine; that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.”

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