East African Board Riders, through the Lamu To Zanzibar downwinder expedition in 2017 aim to raise funds and awareness for marine education programs in East Africa, and will be supporting both Local Ocean Trust (LOT) and the African Billfish Foundation (ABF) in their excellent work through their education programs.

The LOT Conservation Education Program welcomes local, national and international schools and Universities. Thirty local schools are currently taking part in the Conservation Education program. LOT offer children the opportunity to learn about the importance and benefits of protecting their local marine environments and all its inhabitants. LOT believe that an effective education program combined with the incentive for the next generation to 'Love Their Local Ocean' could make a dramatic positive impact on the future of the marine environment.

The African Billfish Foundation work closely with LOT through their ‘Outreach and Education Program’. This program aims to contribute to the advancement of knowledge about the marine environment and its preservation to local communities along the Kenya coast. Specifically, effort is focused on the provision of information about the pelagic environment to young people.

In January 2017 a group of 8 kitesurfers and windsurfers will attempt to navigate the full length of the Kenya Coast, from Lamu to Zanzibar. The straight-line distance between the 2 spice islands is 500 kilometres but they will cover nearly twice that as they zig-zag their way down the East African coastline.

The 6 kitesurfers and 2 windsurfers were all born in Kenya and include: Boris Polo, Craig, Jason and Marc Rogers, Justin Aniere, Alessandro and Stefano Rabbiosi, and George Issaias.

Any donation towards what they consider to be a very worthy cause will be gratefully received.