Bidii Yetu 2023
Ordinary people achieving the extraordinary regardless of disability
In May and June, 2023, in a first of its kind event, I will be one of approximately ten adaptive and able-bodied cyclists to cross southern Africa by hand bike and bicycle. We call ourselves Bidii Yetu. It means “our resilience” in Kiswahili. We are dedicated to breaking down the barriers to greater inclusion that hold millions of disabled in Africa and around the world in a poverty trap, by raising awareness and funds for organizations for, and governed by people with disabilities. We will achieve the above while crossing Southern Africa, one of the most amazing and diverse natural environments in the world, in a daunting physical challenge.
Bidi Yetu 2023 has three objectives.
- Demonstrate what people with disabilities can achieve once barriers to their impairment are lifted
- Generate awareness of the poverty cycle in which millions of people living with disabilities are trapped.
- Raise funds and secure equipment for organizations of people with disabilities in the countries on our route.*
- We will achieve the above while crossing Southern Africa, one of the most amazing and diverse natural environments in the world, in an epic physical challenge.
The absence of adaptive technologies for, and stigma associated with, persons living with disabilities traps many of them in a vicious circle. This circle is characterized by a lack of opportunities to play and socialize, reduced access to education, poorer health status, greater vulnerability to sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), lower levels of employment, higher poverty rates, and lower life expectancy.
What will your donation pay for?
Funds raised will be used for:
- Fund small grants to local organizations of people with disabilities in the countries through which we will ride to support, advocacy for the rights of persons living with disabilities, increase opportunities for youth with disabilities to play, and provide training in job skills, among others;
- Offset the costs of participation in Bidii Yetu for adaptive cyclists otherwise unable to afford participation; and
- Secure adaptive equipment for local organizations.
Selected grantees will be posted on our webpage, FaceBook and Instagram sites. We will vet all potential grantees using sams.gov to ensure that grantees are not affiliated with any illegal activities.
Please follow along
https://www.facebook.com/bidiiyetu23
instagram: bidii_yetu_2023
*includes indirect costs
