Story

Having never cycled further than the commute to work, in August 2011 we will cycle unsupported 2500km, coast to coast, across Southern Africa from Mozambique to Namibia crossing the Kalahari and Namib deserts.  We aim to do this in just 25 days. Please support us by giving generously to Tusk.  To find out more about why we are doing this please see below and visit our website at <a href="http://www.lifecycleafrica.com/">www.lifecycleafrica.com</a>. Please also leave a suggestion for what we should name our bicycles - it only seems right since these will be our trusty steeds to get across some incredibly challenging and inhospitable terrain.     Why are we doing this?    A brief lapse of sanity?  Very possibly.  That and because years spent working and travelling in Africa have made us acutely aware of the pressures brought to bear on African wildlife and its increasingly fragmented and isolated habitat. A rapidly expanding human population and a consuming demand for land and resources brings us into increasing and often disastrous conflict with wildlife. Population growth, commercialisation, environmental change, war, poverty and hunger are just some of the problems facing African communities. Finding ways to protect and conserve wildlife habitat, whilst meeting the needs of local communities is no easy task but sometimes solutions are out there. We want to find out more about them and do our best to support them.   How will cycling across Africa help? Whilst there may be slightly less exhausting ways to raise awareness for some fantastic conservation projects that are tackling these issues head on, we hope that you will support the significant challenge we set ourselves by giving generously to Tusk Trust.   Tusk is a truly excellent organisation with 20 years' experience initiating and funding conservation and community development programmes across Africa that continue to build a brighter future for both local communities and the wildlife with whom they share their environment.  Tusk's overheads are small and its impact is big.   We believe in taking responsibility for our own mad decisions which means the full cost of this adventure is being met by us.  100% of your donation will go to Tusk.   For more information please visit <a title="Life Cycle Africa" href="http://www.lifecycleafrica.com/" target="_blank">http://www.lifecycleafrica.com/</a>       Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to Tusk Trust and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - we raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.  Thanks for taking the time to visit our JustGiving site. Please help us and donate now.  With huge thanks    Sal, Ben and Joy