Motorists driving for charity

On June 9, Eric Amadi, a mechanic at Dallas Auto Garage in Kibuli received a call from Loving Hearts, an organisation that looks after babies. On the other end of the line, the caller asked Amadi if he could donate diapers and formula milk to the babies the organisation was looking after.

So, together with his friend, Avan Singh, they paid a courtesy visit to Loving Hearts. Though the organisation looked in need, they were not doing badly. “We made an assessment and found that instead of supporting an organisation that already had support, we diverted the help to Nsambya Babies’ Home,” Amadi recalls.

Around that time, Singh explains, they they developed a concept, “Miles for Smiles” where car enthusiasts of “petrol heads” from around Kampala come together and drive for charity. “We came up with this slogan because we wanted something that any driver would identify with. We don’t look out for a person with a car. We need their physical presence because they could be capable of donating to feed a needy baby,” Singh says.

Second run
Prior to their driving for charity, Amadi noted that Nsambya Babies’ Home faced difficulties in their day-to-day activities because children needed many other items.

“There are few babies’ homes around Kampala but they cannot run without support. We want to support such homes such that if there is any person out there who will want to give back to community, they can freely visit the home,” Amadi explains. Singh adds “the best we can do is support needy children because they are the future of this country.”
It is on this note that on December 5, Miles for Smiles will hold a second charity run to raise money and collect items to support another Babies Home.

The run will also be themed on highlighting road safety, as that day is also one set aside for Paul Walker Memorial in different parts of the world.

In that vein, the run will also be in rememberance of Calvin Taylor, Singh’s friend, who passed on in a motor accident on the day after Paul Walker, star of the Fast and Furious movies, also passed on in a car crash.

The participants will also learn defensive and road safety driving tips to highlight the scourge of motor accidents on Ugandan roads.

“We don’t have a priority between road safety tips and giving back to the needy children. The two aspects go hand in hand because we believe that when we maintain road safety, supporting children also becomes important to society,” Singh says.

The registration fee is Shs40,000 and comes with a car sticker and a free T-shirt.
On the D-day, participants will converge at Club Panamera in Naguru at 9:00am to do car branding, have their cars inspected and get safety tips from experts and police.

“When we have converged, we will drive to the babies’ home at Garuga along Entebbe road, give the items we will have collected to the management of the babies’ home and drive back to Kampala,” Singh explains.

Later in evening, the participants will be treated to an evening of refreshments at Legends Bar in Naguru and also reflect on the day’s activity.

“For Christmas, we are proposing having lunch with the babies to identify and make them feel at home, Singh says.

Future plans

Every region comes with its own needs. As such, Miles for Smiles will go to the eastern region come 2016 to as well support the needy communities there. Amadi says “when you look at parts like Karamoja and the north in general, they lack safe water sources. Our plan is to reach out to different parts of the country with what we can afford because as the numbers of participants increase, it means we can reach out to many in different communities.”

To make the run a success, the organisers do not reach out to the communities alone. They believe that when many people come together for a cause, a lot can be done. For the second time running, Kaliro Sugar, Mercedes Benz Club, Twins Supermarket, Avtech Ltd, Dallas Auto Garage and Underground Legends Club are partnering to sponsor the event.

How to register

Approximately 300 meters just after Wonder World from Kansanga along Ggaba road on the left hand side is Avtech Limited, a garage where motor vehicle maintenance is done. There, it is where anyone who wants to participate can register with Singh. Alternatively, the other point of registration is at Dallas Auto Garage in Kibuli, in a perimeter fence with a black gate, just before approaching Stabex fuel station along Muwayire road, driving towards Kabalagala from Green Hill Academy.

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