One Million Community Health Workers

The second day of the race saw riders tackle the toughest stretch in Aspen through Independence Pass. A very enthusiastic community turned out in large numbers to witness this event, and it was all bikes go in solidarity with the racers. As I witness this event more than 10,000 miles from where the effect will be felt in Africa, I am humbled and fascinated at how committed these riders are to this course.

A worthwhile course of this event is to support the works of the Community Health Workers of the Millennium Village I represent through enhanced mobility, by bike and other means of transport. This ensures efficient household visits by Community Health Workers that reverses negative health trends as is witnessed through reduced infant and maternal Mortality, increased immunizations, better health seeking behaviour among other things.

As the day progresses, the Aspen community is enlightened on the works of Millennium Promise and a good majority are interested in volunteering to support the Millennium Promise course in Africa.

I was privileged later in the day to attend a function hosted by Paul Sherwen and Phil Ligget. Paul Sherwen other than the fact that he has been brought up in Kenya, he speaks very fluent Kiswahili and he is championing the bike course in Northern Uganda, but above all he highly supports Spokes of Change in Africa with a strong indication that livelihoods in Africa can and will change if sustainable mobility is provided and bikes quickly provide such solutions.

Generally as the Independence Pass in Aspen did provide a degree of freedom to the racers for the rest of the race days, bikes are envisioned to change lives in the rural communities where facilities are without reach. The bikers are providing a current while the communities are the wire. Together they create a live wire –a dignified society.

This originally appeared on the Millennium Villages website on August 24, 2012.