Richard with school children in Kindwitwi
Families affected by leprosy often remain trapped in a cycle of economic disadvantage as their children are kept at home to look after their parents. In an effort to break this cycle, Rufiji Leprosy Trust sponsors the children of people affected by leprosy to board at the local secondary school.
By boarding, the child avoids walking 8 miles a day to and from school, fearful of lions and crocodiles which appear from time to time; and the child has electricity to study at night. It gets dark at 6pm every night in Tanzania!
It costs just £100 per year for a child to board.
Our Financial Trustee, Richard Luxmore, and his son Matthew are cycling from London to Paris via the Avenue Verte, to raise £5,000 to help us support 10 children go through secondary school.
Leaving London at 7am on Thursday June 9 they will cycle to Brighton and stop a few miles short of Newhaven.
They will then have an early start the next day to catch the 0830 ferry. They will have breakfast on the ferry and arrive in Dieppe at 14.30, with just a few hours to get to Forges-les-Eaux.
On Saturday they have a 60 mile ride through the Vexin, a verdant plateau on the right bank of the Seine; and a further 65 miles on Sunday where they will hopefully arrive at the Arc de Triomphe in time for dinner on the Champs Elysees!
You can support Richard by going to his specially created fundraising page, or visit our How to donate page.