North & West Africa Tour to support Motorcycle Outreach

In response to general interest the organisers of the Milward Memorial Ride have put together a motorcycle tour of North and West Africa in support of Motorcycle Outreach. The five week, 8000km motorcycle trip will include scenic diversions in Morocco, the remote region of Western Sahara and a visit to the Riders for Health facility in The Gambia.

The exciting new five week motorcycle expedition into North & West Africa offers the previously unexplored destination of Guinea Bissau, as something different for riders seeking to experience their own Long Way Down adventure.

GlobeBusters, the UK\'s leading long distance overland motorcycle travel company, have teamed with the charity Motorcycle Outreach (MoR) to lead a team of riders on this new motorcycle adventure, leaving in November 2008. A proportion of trip price will go to MoR\'s work to provide sustainable healthcare logistics, by motorcycle, in rural areas of Indonesia

The expedition will mostly utilise the growing network of sealed roads, surprisingly, making the 5,000 mile moto trek mainly on tarmac.
That is not to say the challenge is any the less as riders will face the vibrancy and chaos of African culture, vast desert landscapes, extreme weather conditions, and challenging border practices as they head down from Morocco, through the Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Senegal & The Gambia to their final goal of Guinea Bissau. This type of trip tests your attitude to travel as much as it does riding the bike.

Led by Double Guinness World Record Holder, Kevin Sanders who runs GlobeBusters, together with motorcycle adventure traveller and Motorcycle Outreach\'s, Craig Carey-Clinch, riders will enjoy the usual standard of GlobeBusters organizational excellence, and along with the ride, get to experience an Africa jungle safari and. In The Gambia, a visit to the Riders for Health facility (whose medical care model is the basis for Motorcycle Outreach) is also planned.

Riders can book this ground breaking trip by calling the GlobeBusters Enquiry line on 08452 30415 or online at the Globebusters website.

Motorcycle Outreach at the National Motorcycle Show 2007

If you're at the show drop by to see us. We're at Stand 3K45 in Hall 3a

While you're here you can enter a raffle for a sleeping bag courtesy of our supporters at Cotswold Outdoor Company.

With Motorcycle I am Optimistic to Achieve Health Service Targets

It is tiring indeed to take trip from the Southern tip of Solor Island where Lewotanah Ole is situated to Rita Ebang health center in West Solor. But that is the demand of service responsibility that has to be done by Markus as a field health worker.

As a health provider working in a very remote area and far from subdistrict capital, Markus has to maintain regular contact with the subdistrict health center. Aside from taking a stock of medicines and vaccines, he also has to attend meetings and other adminstrative works. This regular trip to subdistrict capital is just part of his travels. His work in the villages and subvillages is another story.

Fortunately after he gets HfA motorcycle, he feels more facilitated and useful in carrying out his responsibilities starting from visiting people in the villages, visiting in-house patients, giving vaccination, disseminating health service and health information in integrated community health center, etc. As well as his regular works it also improves his contact with the subdistrict health center. In short HfA motorcycle truly helps smoothen his works.

"Many demands from District Health Office have to be fulfilled and if one is not provided with a vehicle (such as a motorcycle), it would be very difficult to handle. In the meantime all health services have specific targets. For instance, pregnant women, babies and children have to be attended to the activities in monthly integrated community health center. However, on the scheduled day most mothers are working in their farms. Knowing this situation I have to go around with motorcycle to call them. In addition I have to attend to the call of the famies in order to give health service to the patients, even at night. Thanks to the Health for All motorcycle I can do all this".

By: Mansetus Kalimantan, HfA Field Coordinator

Translation from Indonesian by Willy Balawala

The motorcycles used here are provided and maintained by Motorcycle Outreach via HfA

Anton Ruron: My Child was Saved with the Help of HfA Motorcycle

Ludfina Lelo Ruron, a 7 years old child was resting weakly on an old bed placed in the family room of a 6 x 7 meters house. Lying between 2 pillows, Ludfina was just silent looking at every person who came to see her.

Her eyes were blurred, the muscles of her neck were clearly visible and her ribs could be counted from afar. Any kind of food given was frequently thrown out. Understandably because this daughter of Anton Ruron and Anastasia Wungubelen had suffered from malaria for the last 2 weeks. However, her parents believed that the sickness of their first daughter was due to the "interference of night bird" (disturbance of bad night spirits) which is the belief of the locals. Meanwhile to seek medication in the health center, as proposed by some villagers was difficult to realize due to the expense as her parents are poor farmers.

The Indonesian government provides free medication for poor sectors of society via a special health insurance program but not all poor people qualify for this. Despite being a poor family, Ludfina's parents do not qualify and had not received the required "card".

"We are indeed a poor family. However, the allocation of cards for free medication for our village is limited and we are not able to get it. Objectively our family is much poorer than some of those receiving the cards. I have no idea what are the criteria being used to determine a poor family. The fact is we do not have sufficient money to pay for medication or for transport to the sub-district health center or hospital in town", said Anton.
One day Anton was visited by Mr. Yeremias Mukina (a field health provider) who came by motorcycle offering to bring Ludfina child to the public hospital in Larantuka town, East Flores without cost.

"At first I was doubtful, would it be possible for my child in her weak condition to travel on a motor bike? But the health rider convinced me that I could come along in order to take care of the child. I accepted the offer and we immediately rushed to the hospital. This health worker also arranged my health insurance card so that my child could get medication without charge", said Anton.

"I was really helped by HfA humanitarian assistance. It's motorcycles when used by field health providers truly facilitate the villagers who lack access to transportation. I also give my thanks and gratitude to Mr. Yeremias Mukina who ensured that my child could be handled properly in the hospital. Currently Ludfina is still in hospital but her condition is improving. She can smile again and eat well. Hopefully in a few days we leave the hospital. And I also hope HfA can help more people as in remote villages as there are many people like us", Anton finished story while caressing Ludfina's hair.

By: Mansetus Kalimantan, HfA Field Coordinator

Translation from Indonesian by Willy Balawala

The motorcycles used here are provided and maintained by Motorcycle Outreach via HfA

HfA Motorcycles support School Health Service Unit

Klukenuking Elementary School, located in Kawela Village, Wotan Ulu Mado Sub-district, East Flores, Indonesia.

It is situated at 1,000 meters above sea level, very remote and far from the capital of the sub-district. The elementary students of this village rarely get information about health issues although their schools has a Health Services Unit. Although it has been launched in the 1980's by the Indonesian Government and has become part of the school curriculum most students in remote villages rarely acquire health services or health information. The main obstacle is the limited transportation available to health providers to reach such villages.

According to Aloysius Riantobi, the Head of Kawela Village, presently there are a good number of health workers in the sub-district health center. However, health services delivered to schools in remote villages is a rare event due to the limited means of transport. "We are very lucky. Since 2003 our students here have accessed health information from the health providers coming from Baniona Health Center who in turn got motorcycles from HfA," he underlined.

What is said by Riantobi is confirmed by Arkadius Balaweling, the Head of the Elementary School. He acknowledged that his students no longer have difficulty to get health information as health providers from Baniona Health Center regularly provide health services to the students. Thanks to the HfA motorcycles, the health providers dare to climb and reached this highly elevated location.
"Indeed since 1980s government inserted health as a subject into national curriculum of the elementary school. However, due to the lack of health personnel and of means of transport to remote areas, it was not done well. In the absence of health workers it is undertaken by sport teacher instead. As a consequence, health issues are not taught but instead we get sports (physical exercises). It is understood because sport teacher does not know the specifics of health education", explained Arkadius who has been devoting the past twenty years of his life to this school.
The success of motorcycles for health deliveries in remote villages is also acknowledged by Marianus D. Wuring, a health worker in Baniona Health Center, Adonara, East Flores. He acknowledged that since he rides a HfA motorcycle he regularly visits the schools under his area of coverage and give information about primary health to elementary students.

[caption id="attachment_139" align="alignleft" width="300"] Marianus D. Wuring, a health worker in Baniona Health Center, Adonara, East Flores[/caption]

Aside from giving hygiene and sanitation to the public, Marianus also regularly visits six schools in order to give services and information for around 1,500 students. The services given, among others, are health education and vaccination to the children. "We are able to do all this because we are supported by HfA with motorcycles which enable us to undertake our works well", said Marianus.

However, Marianus further clarifies, "Surely there are still many schools that do not benefit from health services and information due to the lack of means of transport. This happens because there are still a good number of field health workers having no motorcycles that can be used to reach out remote villages".

"They are not lucky as I am. I hope they are also supported with vehicles in doing their field work. There are a limited number of motorcycles provided by the government.but these are not well maintained and not sufficiently durable for the difficult mountainous road", said Marianus before starting his health education class.

By: Mansetus Kalimantan, HfA Field Coordinator

Translation from Indonesian by Willy Balawala

The motorcycles used here are provided and maintained by Motorcycle Outreach via HfA

HfA provides multiple benefits

Covering her head with a rumpled cloth, the old lady was busy taking care of the fish caught by her husband. The fish were lifted one by one and put onto a pile of salt. This is the way to preserve the fruits of her husband's work so that they can be sold in the market. Such work is performed every time her husband returns from the sea. Being a simple village woman with just barely enough to get by, she opts to preserve the fish the traditional way.

"I am mixing the salt with the fish in order to preserve it until it is sold in the market. If we do not this, it could not be sold when the day of the market comes", said Mrs. Aminah.

[caption id="attachment_144" align="alignright" width="300"] Mrs. Aminah Tadong Labina[/caption]

Even though her age is just forty Mrs. Aminah Tadong Labina looks older. She has 4 children. Education was only provided to grade three of elementary school. Asked about her access to the health services, Mrs. Aminah replied that being "small people" (poor people) they rarely seek services from health facilities as these are located far from their village and they do not have enough money to pay transport.
"Our main benefit from the health services is from Mr. Dani Kerans who visits us regularly, especially at the day of Community Health Centre (Posyandu). Besides, since our village is located along the road which is normally passed by Mr. Dani, we always ask for his help when we get sick. Going to the main health center which has better facilities is only possible for richer people", added Mrs. Aminah.
She recounted that since Mr. Dani Kerans, the only health worker in their area, received a motorcycle from HfA, the people of Kolidatang (the sub-village where Mrs. Aminah and family live), are always visited by him.

"Yes, it is true. It has been five years now since Mr. Dani got the motorcycle from HfA, now we, Kolidatang residents, regularly get health services. Before that when we needed him for medication we had to go to the branch of health center where he is based as he had no vehicle that could be used to visit villages. Now that he has an HfA motorcycle the Community Health Centre at Posyandu has come to life and the people here have more opportunity to access health services from Mr. Dani", said Mrs. Aminah while pouring the fish onto a pile of salt in front of her.

Since Mr. Dani got the motorcycle from HfA, he really works to help the people living within his coverage area. He even works outside of his working hours in case people need his help. He can come directly to their houses to give medication. When a patient needs to be referred to the main health center or to the hospital, he can drive him/her in case there is no public transport. In the same manner, he also can do so when the family of the patient does not have enough money to pay public transport. So he can drive the patient tens of kilometers to the main public health center or even to the hospital in the town which is further from the village, emphasised Mrs. Aminah.

"There were several NGOs previously working in our area but the program of HfA is particularly unique. HfA supports health workers by means of motorcycles in order to be used to visit and to render health services to the people in remote villages. At the same time the people in villages benefit from the motorcycle as well since they can access health services on the spot without spending transport money. HfA motorcycles truly have multiple benefits."

Translation from Indonesian by Willy Balawala