For over ten years, as part of the annual Street Child Cycle Challenge, a group of cyclists have toured the UK and Europe raising money for street-connected children in Burundi. The amount of money we raise each year has varied (from £4,000 to £25,000) but all of it has gone directly to support the work of New Generation, Street Action's long-term partner, in their work with street-connected children in Burundi.

As many of you will know, over the years we have raised money for a car, a coffee machine/cafe, a house (inside an out), some land (to use as their permanent home) and numerous programmes that New Generation run. And we have raised over £100,000 in total. 

But Covid forced the cancellation of last year's ride and has made fundraising hard for small, supporter-led charities like Street Action. Therefore this year we are trying to make up for lost time as we cycle 450km, from Durham to the Lake District. The money we raise, as a group of cyclists, helps to underpin the work of New Generation and will support their ongoing programmes.

As a bit of background, New Generation emerged from the civil war that swept Burundi between 1993 and 2005. They continue to respond to the effects of years of civil war among the young generations on the streets: supporting them with food and shelter, engaging them through outreach and re-integration support, enabling their education through back-to-school programmes and providing entrepreneurship training for older boys and young women. Everything they do is focussed on enabling children and young people from the streets to reach their full potential and become leaders of a new Burundi.