African Bush Camps (ABC) Partnerships Manager, Karl Parkinson, will be cycling the Zambezi Cycle Challenge from July 7-9 to raise funds for Mambanje Primary School’s renovations in Zimbabwe.

The three-day cycle challenge covers 180km from Victoria Falls through the Hwange National Park.

Parkinson aims to raise US$50 000, although the full renovations will cost around US$73 000.

The repairs and maintenance at the school include fixing the borehole and solar, the computer lab and network connectivity.

ABC will also renovate the teachers’ accommodation to ensure that teachers are happy living and working at the school. Through the renovations, the school hopes to retain the teachers currently working there and have more capacity to house more teachers at the school.

“The ongoing improvements, coupled with reviving the feeding scheme have brought fresh energy back into the school that we haven’t seen in years,” ABC said.

‘Support projects you really believe in’

Parkinson told Tourism Update that the project was connected to big passions in his life – mountain biking and early childhood development.

“I’m doing the challenge because of the passion and enjoyment I feel by doing the sport. Early childhood development is also something really close to my heart. I have three children of my own and have legal guardianship for our domestic worker’s daughter.

“Seeing her go through the system from a very young age and the benefit of going to a good school has struck a very strong chord with me in terms of the impact it can have,” Parkinson said.

It is Parkinson’s first year taking part in the cycle challenge and he admits it is not going to be a walk in the park.

“It’s not going to be easy, covering 180km over three days in hot weather, riding through soft sand going through some wild areas in Hwange National Park. But this is what it’s all about – it’s about putting yourself out there and supporting projects you really believe in.”

As a business, ABC will match any donation made by the trade. “This gives us an opportunity to double-up on the donations,” Parkinson concluded.