Road to Cape Town

Hi friends,

This is what the halfway point looks like: reunited with the Atlantic ocean in Accra, Ghana.

I’m very happy with the way my cycling journey has been going so far. As you may have noticed I have been positively surprised by the kindness and openness of the people I meet along the road. Before setting out on this trip, I was expecting to write mostly about cycling and nature. But the “people” part has turned out to be a common thread throughout the past 10.200km. Desert nights in a tent in the Western Sahara with fishermen, sipping tea next to a coal fire in the Sahel … I’ve always been welcomed warmly.

The halfway point is also a great moment to remind you, and myself, why I’m doing this. I cycle to showcase the freedom women and girls around the world deserve, regardless of their menstrual cycle. 

Taboos related to menstruation exist in many, if not all, cultures. Some cultures exclude women literally, whereby girls and women are banished to a menstruation hut for the duration of their period. In addition to formal taboos, many girls experience profound shame and fear of being ridiculed by other girls, boys etc. All of this results results in restrictions on women, directly or indirectly, because of shame.

Studies by WoMena in Uganda found that school girls repeatedly mentioned that they did not dare to use a bicycle during their menstruation, for fear that they would spot, and that a simple solution such as the menstrual cup changed that.

Therefore, I am happy to cycle in support of people that are implementing solutions that grant girls and women the freedom they deserve – and cycle if they wish to -. Cycling symbolizes just one aspect of a range of limitations that WoMena tries to eliminate.

If you wish to support their cause, or if you like the cycling journey I undertake in their honor, please consider a donation to WoMena!

read more or donate: 

on this website:

https://www.roadtocapetown.be/charity/

Or on WoMena’s website:

http://womena.dk/