Riding for hope, safety

The Pearl Riders Club bikers ride through Entebbe Town before they head to Mulago hospital last month. PHOTO BY Dominic Bukenya.

What you need to know:

The bikers aim at reaching out to the disadvantaged and highlighting the issue of safe biking

The sight of bikers riding around town is nothing new. Some of them go about alone and others in a group of about 20 or more riding different types of bikes. Rarely does one bother to find out why they are riding. Most of us probably think they are transporting themselves to whichever place they might be going. Well, at some point it is true but some ride for a reason. A noble cause. Recently, Pearl Riders Club (PRC), a group of youthful bikers, decided to start riding for charity with their first adventure dubbed Amagara Tour.

This ride for hope is aimed at reaching out to the disadvantaged and highlighting the issue of safe biking.

With their first destination being Mulago hospital, they set out from Entebbe. The entourage of about 20 riders formed a convoy you could not miss. Setting off at 11am from Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) restaurant, Victoria Mall branch, they first rode within Entebbe Town to the airport and back, attracting so much attention and causing traffic jam. The onlookers cheered on as the bikers hooted and waved to them. Two bikers that were ahead cleared way for the others
Led by their president Mark Nsubuga, the bikers reached Mulago and went straight to business, donating some money worth $500 (about Shs1.2 million) to motorist causalities in ward 3A and shared some tips on safety while riding.

“We donated to boda-boda casualties because they are fellow riders, they also risk their lives riding amidst cars which don’t respect bikers,” Nsubuga said.
Samson Baranga, a member of the club, said bikers are also seen by the public in a different perspective and that is why PRC decided to do something that will make the public think of them in a positive manner. A combination of charity and fun is how partners KFC, who provided food and fuel to the riders, described the event. The food chain teamed up with RPC as part of their KFC Add Hope programme aimed at making an impact on communities.

However, the Mulago stop was not the end of their mission. After resting for one day, servicing and refuelling their bikes, the bikers embarked on another 1,580 km ride down South to Bujumbura in Burundi through Kigali, Rwanda, making stops in Masaka and Kabale, and a donation to Byana Maryhill School and Orphanage. While in Rwanda, they toured the genocide sites and also made a contribution to the survivors of the genocide. They also visited the orphans at the Orphanage of Jesus and Mary’s Heart in Bujumbura. The bikers will continue to Kenya for charity later this year.