14 Aug 2024

Her Excellency First Lady Neo Masisi braved the chill of yesterday morning to kickstart the AM620 cycling challenge.

First Lady Masisi rode with the team up to Boatle interchange before returning to Gaborone.

The cycling challenge, which attracted 23 riders from Botswana, South Africa and the United Kingdom, is organised by the newly launched Albert Milton Foundation, which has been established in memory of former Debswana managing director, Albert Milton, who died in 2019.

The race, which started in Gaborone yesterday, ends tomorrow in Ghanzi. 

Cyclists will have a sleepover in Jwaneng before proceeding to Kang today for the second sleepover.

The last lap of the tour will start tomorrow from Kang to Ghanzi.  

The longest stretch among the three is Kang to Ghanzi, which is about 280km, followed by Jwaneng to Kang which is about 240km, them Gaborone to Jwaneng, which is about 160km.

In an interview, spokesperson and board member of the Albert Milton Foundation, Gaone Mogae indicated that the objective of the challenge was solely to raise funds for charity, especially in the sectors of education, health and fighting gender based violence.

She said the inaugural challenge was initially known as Majwe AM570 after the flagship sponsor.

“We had to establish the foundation due to the fact that we deal with public funds, so we had to make it legitimate and allow our books to be audited so that the public could know how their funds were spent,” she said.

Mogae said the inaugural cycling challenge raised about P2.4 million, which was used in various charity projects such as construction of a classroom block at Kgosi Mpe Junior Secondary School in Jwaneng and another classroom block at Mokhomma Primary School.

“We also donated heavy duty printers and scanners to Sese Primary School, which also catered to other schools in the periphery,” she said. 

Mogae said the proceeds were also used to start a sanitary pads project at Mabutsane, the objective of which was to assist gender based violence victims to make ends meet.

She said the cycling challenge retired after a forced break due to COVID 19, then under the names of Komatsu AM600 cycling challenge, which managed to raise P1.6 million.

“The proceeds were low because many companies were still struggling with the negative effects of the pandemic, and we used the proceeds to assist Mokoboxane Primary School to procure chairs and desks. 

We also procured a breast cancer-screening machine for Journey of Hope and we fully furnished library at St Joseph’s primary school,” she said. 

Mogae said the objectives of the current AM620 is also similar to that of the previous challenges in assisting in the education and health sectors and creating awareness on GBV.

She said a needs assessment was normally done before deciding where and how to assist.

Meanwhile, team captain, Charles Vaughan said the first leg of the challenge went smooth and that the team was intact throughout.

“None of the cyclists had any challenges on the first day and we are hopeful that we will reach Ghanzi still in good condition,” he said.

Vaughan also appreciated the First Lady for her support, and said that she rode well with the team before she returned at Boatle. Ends