Thursday, March 28, 2024

Friends of Tionge and the Ride for Zambia

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Friends of Tionge and the Ride for Zambia

 Who are we?

 

 Friends of Tionge is a foundation that has been established independently by Monash University students from the Gippsland and South Africa campus’s.  This foundation is based in Zambia, the home of the foundation’s founding member – Rachael Chenda.

 

 

 

Friends of Tionge has been established to support disadvantaged children and teenagers in Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Lusaka has a large number of teenagers living on the street with no immediate support. This foundation aims to supply programs such as youth counseling, health education, recreational programs as well as adult literacy and others. The foundation also plans to offer support to talented individuals who would otherwise not have the support they need to succeed in their field.

What is Ride for Zambia?     

In 2013 Friends of Tionge member and Monash university student Clinton Bush, and his close friend and fellow bike enthusiast Michael Heyne plan to ride two motorbikes, unassisted from London to Cape Town (South Africa).  The purpose of this ride is to raise money and awareness for the foundation and give it the kick-start it needs to be successful in helping disadvantaged youths.

We have chosen to ride motorbikes as we are both bike enthusiasts and feel that this will provide us with an experience that cannot be matched in a four-wheel drive.  We also believe our journey will be symbolic of the long and grueling journey to success which many of these youths in Zambia will face.  We are both experienced independent travellers and together have covered over 50 countries.  We will be starting our journey in London as we have a contact that will allow us to use his workshop to set the bikes up before the trip.  We have also chosen to complete the journey in Cape Town as this is the southern most city on the continent of Africa.  The trip will also be documented and filmed and we have established contacts in the film industry in South Africa who have agreed to edit and assist us in creating a documentary of the journey.

 The route we are taking was deliberately chosen as we believe this will give our journey a wide variety of riding conditions, plus the opportunity to experience and document the many different cultures in Africa.  Problems such as homeless youths are not limited to Zambia.  By travelling through such a diverse array of countries we hope to be able to bring the reality of the struggle these young people face in other areas of Africa.

How can you help?

Currently we are looking to gain sponsorship for the journey and donations towards the foundation.  Our financial sponsorship goal for the journey is $30,000.  We are also aiming to raise as much money as we can to help establish a youth center in Lusaka. Our medium term goal is $100,000. All Donors will be sent a personal thank you card from the small team at Friends of Tionge and an update on the foundations activities.We believe we are a fantastic organization to become involved with as we are brand new, are operated independently by young energetic local university students who have the passion to make change, but need your partnership and support!

We are currently meeting with representatives from channel Prime 7, Win 9 and the ABC TV and radio program regarding support and airtime for our cause.  There is an opportunity here for publicity for any business or individual who wishes to be a major sponsor of the journey.

Learn More About Friends of Tionge

Vision

Is to share the Gifts of life

Mission

Friends of Tionge is a non partisan not for profit organisation which stands and believes in nurturing young lives, Talents, Skills, Education & Friendship.

Our Story

Friends of Tionge was formed in Lusaka, Zambia in the year 2006 during a children sporting Festival at the BP complex. A lot of children met that day to compete and have fun. It was during this time that Rachael Chenda and Maxwell Chungu met a young child by the name of Tionge.  Tionge, Maxwell and Rachael became friends on that day and it seemed the friendship could go on forever, even though there was a difference in age and physical fitness. Tionge was physically challenged and was restricted to a wheel chair.

The three became a team that day and shared one thing in common. “The gift of life and play.” Rachael Chenda and Maxwell Chungu had so much fun that day that they agreed that every young soul, child or person deserved better play.  It was their view that every person should have a life full of promise, a life full of energy, fun, friendship, laughter, life skills and recreation.

Tionge means “thank you”, which is appropriate as we believe one of the main purposes of Friends of Tionge is to help young people appreciate life and friendship and say thank you for the gift of life, the gift of parents and the gifts of friends.

It was at this juncture in life that Maxwell Chungu and Rachael Chenda put their ideas together and began the first concepts of the organisation that is named after their beautiful friend Tionge.  For serveal years the project was put on hold as Rachael moved from Zambia to South Africa to study at Monash University.  Rachael is now completing her degree and has teamed up with personal friends who attend the Gippsland campus and the project is now back in full swing

Programs we offer

  •  ·         Networking
  • ·         Child play therapy and youth counseling.
  • ·         Life skills training
  • ·         Talent searching and nurturing
  • ·         Education needs and sponsorship
  • ·         Adults literacy

 Networking

In networking, Friends of Tionge aims to work with likeminded partner organization’s and also promote youth cultural exchange programs.

 Child play therapy and youth counseling

 Under this program  Friends of Tionge aims to establish a youth center in Lusaka. This center will be used for the provision of services like child counseling therapy, recreational programs and health education services.

 Life skills training

 

This program aims at impact children who are severely disadvantaged.  Life skills training will teach programs such as cooking and hygiene but also education programs on gender based violence, HIV/AIDS and other issues faced by disadvantaged children in the communities.

 Educations needs and sponsorship

 Friends of Tionge has set up a fund, which shall be specifically designed to support education needs like provisions of books, school fees, shoes and clothing for children whose parents do not have the capacity of meeting or providing these needs. Children who shall be considered to qualify for the fund are those that belong to the marginalized groups of the community who presently do not have the support they need to achieve their potential.

 Adult literacy and life skills programs

Friends of Tionge will also be focusing on the challenges usually faced with supporting and parenting of children.  This program shall provide skills in guardianship and parenting for young families as well as literacy and education programs.

 Contact us!

Please email or call if you wish to donate or have any other inquiries. Clinton Bush – Tionge Friends Australian representative

 0488182994 – [email protected]

 

Find us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/RideForZambia

 

Twitter – http://twitter.com/FriendsOfTionge

 

Website : www.rideforzambia.net/trip.html

 

BY KAPA187

3 COMMENTS

  1. am very interested and am finishing writting my constitution
    of the similar programmes and wish you to send me alot of
    programes and success,please thanks.
    Allan

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