13 students from Starehe Boys Centre have resumed their 1,100-kilometre charity cycling challenge, leaving Nairobi on Wednesday, August 12, for the final stretch of their journey to Mombasa.
The riders arrived in Nairobi on Monday after completing the first leg from Busia, cycling through several counties along the way. They spent Tuesday, August 11 resting and recovering at Starehe Boys Centre before getting back on the road.
The team hopes to arrive in Mombasa on Sunday, August 16, while raising Ksh10 million for the Starehe Boys Centre education fund.
The Dr Geoffrey Griffin Memorial Charity Bikeathon began on August 3 in honour of the late Geoffrey Griffin, the founder of Starehe Boys Centre and a lifelong advocate for education and opportunities for young people.
For the students, however, the challenge has become more than a fundraising campaign.
“This is a character-building adventure. In class, you learn many things theoretically, but on the road, you experience them for yourself. You learn resilience, focus, preparation and what it means to stay on task and keep moving towards a goal,” said Ian Hicho, the team’s Technical Director and Coach and an Old Starehian.
“Life is not always a smooth road, and this journey is teaching the boys how to navigate the ups and downs and still make it to the end,” he added.
Hicho said the students underwent months of physical and mental preparation before taking on the demanding route, including long-distance rides aimed at preparing them to cover roughly 100 kilometres every day.
“You cannot just wake up and ride 1,100 kilometres. The preparation started months ago, with physical training, long-distance rides and mental preparation. We needed the boys to get used to the idea of riding 100 kilometres a day, because on this journey, you have to do it again the next day,” he said.
The first leg exposed the riders to steep hills, heat, traffic, changing road conditions and exhaustion, but the team has remained focused on completing the challenge together.
“For me, the biggest lessons are determination and resilience. There are moments when you feel like giving up, especially when climbing the hills, but you remember why you started and you keep going,” said Fidel Alfred Odhiambo, a Form Three student and returning Bikeathon participant.
Team captain Ian Stanley said the ride had also challenged him to apply leadership skills outside the classroom.
“Being team captain means making sure everyone is where they are supposed to be, that the bikes are in order and that the team moves together. It has taught me that leadership is not just about being in front; it is about making sure everyone gets to the destination,” he said.
For the younger riders, completing the journey safely remains the priority.
“When we reach Mombasa, it will mean that we have achieved the goal we set for ourselves: getting everyone there safely and helping raise funds for Starehe. I want us to finish what we started and make sure the purpose of the Bikeathon continues,” said Marklus Kazungu, a Grade 10 student.
The challenge is supported by several partners, including Vivo Energy Kenya, which has provided stopover points, refreshments and logistical assistance through its Shell service station network.
Mark Senteu, Commercial Manager at Vivo Energy Kenya and a former Starehe student, said the partnership reflected the importance of giving back.
“The most important principle running the world we live in today is reciprocity, and the Bikeathon is a great example of partnerships powered by reciprocity,” he said.
“Education and youth empowerment are an important part of our sustainability agenda, and through partnerships like this, we are able to give back to communities while creating shared value beyond our business.”
Emergency response teams from St John Ambulance are also accompanying the riders, providing safety and medical support along the route.
At Starehe Boys Centre, the Bikeathon is seen as an extension of the institution’s efforts to develop students beyond academics.
“We hope they take away three things: the self-esteem and character that comes from taking on a major challenge, a sense of service and self-sacrifice, and the importance of team spirit,” said Fred Okono, Director of Starehe Boys Centre.
“You are out there on the road together, not competing against one another, and everyone has a role to play,” he added.
The fundraising campaign remains open to members of the public, Starehe alumni and well-wishers seeking to support the education fund.
For Hicho, the challenge is also personal, with the Old Starehian seeking to help provide future students with the opportunities he received at the institution.
“I want to give back to my alma mater and help other young people benefit from the same opportunities I received here. You are because someone was, and I believe it is important to give back and create that opportunity for someone else,” he said.
The riders are expected to cover the remaining stretch to Mombasa over the coming days, with their arrival targeted for Sunday, August 16.
Beyond the 1,100-kilometre target, the students are hoping their journey will translate into more opportunities for future generations of Starehe students.