The Put Foot Rally/Bobs for Good shoe drop in Livingstone
Loaded with shoes from the Bobs for Good Foundation, it’s the largest shoe drop they have ever done. Police turn a blind eye to the crazy procession through the city. Vuvuzelas blast. Horns tap a tune. Crews hang out of windows and straddle the roof of their rides. The Pirates of the Kariba Dam crew ‘row’ their vessel with a pair of oars. Zambia‘s framed President gazes idly from every shop and hotel along the way.
The air force band leads the procession for the last kilometre and the kids of Mukamusaba Basic School go wild at the sight of it all. Christmas has come. The Put Foot chariots are a hit and the crews are honoured with song and dance, joy and laughter. The Red Sockers crew amp it up. Shakira’s Waka Waka is the flavour and Vuvuzela’s come a close second to shoes as the must have of the day.
As the kids don their new shoes, worn footwear is carefully tucked in the boxes that bring the new ones and shiny black shoes are paraded with pride before testing them out on the dusty football field. The dust kicked up just makes the sunset more incredible. It’s a fine end to a magic day in Africa.
We ride toward many more suns. Through the breathtaking eastern highlands of Zambia and on to Lake Malawi, where the routes and the people become wilder and friendlier.
We fall into the banter of barter, for currency, beer, petrol and diesel – the latter now non-existent in Malawi, so we bring our own from Zambia and drive past stranded trucks, busses and bakkies. Darker days for most and opportunity for a scant few as a black market for diesel takes shape. That’s Africa, some say. But it doesn’t have to be that way if we educate African children enough to see beyond the idle gaze of their leaders.
We take off from Lake Malawi tomorrow and head South. Here’s to new horizons.
Our Bodyrockers crew has raised enough to put shoes on about 30 kids so far. Thanks to Joanna Rice and Phil and Pix for your incredible contributions. Lets keep those donations coming for good footing!
Please go here to donate:
http://tiny.cc/c0q1y
