Update from Techbikers on community and impact in 2018 ??

“A library outranks any other one thing a community can do to benefit its people. It is a never failing spring in the desert.” ? Andrew Carnegie

* Originally published on Medium.

It’s been an active year for Techbikers. As we return to school, and home from summer holidays, I wanted to pause for a moment to give an update on where we are, what we’ve accomplished so far and how you can get involved.

Two rides down, three more to go

We successfully completed Techbikers Vienna to Budapest (2nd year) and Paris to London (7th year). Two great rides in which we got lucky with the weather and had a great group of riders. This weekend 54 founders, VCs and techies will embark on a 450km ride from Copenhagen to Berlin (2nd year). It’s an epic adventure and challenging ride, even for experience riders…

The story of the Techbikers Tel Aviv to Petra ride was featured on Forbes?—?Tech Meetup on Wheels Goes the Extra Mile. While initially sketched for November, we are now planning on early 2019.

Also in 2019, we’re putting together a delegation of Techbikers alumni to see some of the libraries we’ve donated in Vietnam. It’s a great opportunity to ride together and see the impact first hand.

Our impact so far

Speaking of impact, Room to Read shared a progress report on the school we’re renovating and expanding in Tanzania (pictured below),

In addition, we got a progress report on all the other projects we funded in 2017: 14 libraries (7 in Vietnam and 7 in India). Read more about it in this PDF.

It’s always heartwarming to see this kind of message from Room to Read, and a good reminder of what makes Techbikers so impactful:

I am pleased to share the attached Literacy Program project launch report with you for all the other projects you funded last year. Techbikers investment impacts not only the students in these schools in India and Vietnam and others like them, but also their families, communities, and local governments. The ability to read and write is the foundation for all learning. When we help primary school students build literacy skills and a habit of reading, we are changing the direction of their futures. With your support, we have opened up a new world of opportunities for these children through the power of education.

Together, we have changed the lives of more than 12.4 million children through Room to Read’s work and have left a lasting impact on more than 20,000 communities through our Literacy Program. We thank you for your investment and your commitment to changing the world through education. We look forward to continuing to work together to reach many more children in the years to come. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have about our programs or the attached report.

So far in 2018, we’ve raised a total of £55,000 for Room to Read, not including the full proceeds of Copenhagen to Berlin 2018.

A real and growing community

We continue to build a wonderful community at Techbikers. Founders, VCs, techies all riding together to build a more connected startup ecosystem and help children in the developing world get access to literacy and education, the foundation that gave us the opportunities in the tech industry. The chatter on the WhatsApp channels is most intense before the rides, but continues long after. Invitations to other challenges from endurance cycling to Triathlons, reunion drinks and dinner, casual encounters with other alumni in conferences or on holiday… we are never too far away.

Several participants wrote posts on their experience and what Techbikers means to them:

• Zuber Anwar?—?Success is a room to read (must read!)
• Juliet Chen?—?My introduction to the world of long-distance cycling with Techbikers
• Kevin Dykes?—?Making my daughters proud?—?Why I’m joining my third Techbikers ride

We always ask for feedback after the rides, but this year we’ve asked for testimonials. What attracted newbies to the ride in the first time and for veterans, what keeps bringing you back. Here’s a flavour:

Eduardo Brünger Paperini, Investment Manager at Breed Reply:

What attracted me to participate in the ride was a mix of being able to raise funds for a great cause and charity, to have the challenge of riding through fabulous sceneries and to meet interesting like minded people who you end up bonding after going through tough hills and miles of tarmac.

James Nettleton, Principal, InMotion Ventures:

I had been meaning to join a Techbikers ride and support Room to Read for several years. The work the charity does is inspiring and hugely important. I just hadn’t found a ride I was able to work into my schedule until now. Reading, writing and communicating with others is the key that unlocks a world of opportunities. Literacy can lift people out of poverty, or propel them to greatness. It’s a skill and a right all people should have, but too many are excluded from. Room to Read are doing great, practical work to address this. In light of that, a 450km bike ride really doesn’t seem like much to ask. Even if it feels tough at the time.

Jeannie Arthur, Founder and CEO Tallstick:

I’m super excited about doing my first Techbikers ride. An opportunity to meet new people, network, challenge myself physically and mentally… and raise money for a great cause. Couldn’t get any better!

Naadira Ogeer, Economic Adviser, Commonwealth Secretariat:

I’ve seen firsthand the transformation that can educating girls can have on families and how it opens the door to so many opportunities. Am happy to be part of this fantastic event to raise funds for such a worthy cause. I am anticipating a world of hurt as have not done long rides but it will be worth it!

You can get a sense of who’s coming to Techbikers by looking at the “logo walls” we publish ahead of the rides:

A picture is worth 1,000 words, but there’s nothing like a good video to tell the story. In this case, Waleed Deeba (Daytime at Antidote.me, spare-time Youtube creator) not only broke his cycling distance record, but also created a beautiful video that captures the vibe of Techbikers:

I’m incredibly proud of this group of people. None of this would be possible without the help of the volunteers and corporate sponsors that make the ride possible. Thank you for your continuous support and trust in us. Also thanks to the logistics providers Cycle Friendly who have been with us for the past seven years?—?always making the rides smooth, safe, delicious and unforgettable. I look forward to seeing what we accomplish in the rest of 2018 and beyond!