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I am cycling around the island of Zanzibar in June 2013. There is a real and serious purpose to this challenge. I am fundraising for a charity called Health Improvement Project Zanzibar (HIPZ). The local inhabitants of this beautiful island paradise lead a very tough life - 1 in every 12 infants die within the first few years of their lives, often due to preventable diseases; 1 in 220 women die during childbirth. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

HIPZ already has a fantastic track record - the first project was the Makunduchi Project, the aim of which was to renovate, equip and run the hospital in Makunduchi in Southern Zanzibar. This was a very run-down hospital, without even a full-time doctor - it was so run-down, that patients avoided visiting it and therefore died of common illnesses! The Makunduchi Project turned all that around and now runs a fantastic hospital with high-quality equipment and staff. This was a real and huge difference for the people in southern Zanzibar, and makes the difference between life and death.

As a result of the success of the Makunduchi Project, HIPZ has been requested, by the President of Zanzibar and the Tazanian ministry of Health to extend it's support to the main hospital in the north, Kivunge District Hospital. This is an even bigger challenge as the hospital is much larger.

HIPZ is headed by a very good friend of mine, and that is the reason for my choice of charity. 

Please donate generously, since this charity makes a real HUGE difference to the people who are most in need. Your donation may make the difference between life and death.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

So please dig deep and donate now.