环球英语 — 127：Riders for Health

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Hello, I’m Marina Santee.

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And I’m Rebekah Schipper. Welcome to Spotlight 1. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

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Welcome to the world of motorcycles! These two-wheeled machines can reach speeds of up to three hundred [300] kilometres an hour. The people who ride them need many skills. They need strength to control the motorcycle. They need courage to ride as fast as they can. And they need brains to know how to beat the other riders. Winners of a motorcycle race receive lots of money. This is a world for rich and famous people.

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A lonely motorcycle speeds along a dusty Zimbabwean road. This road is full of bumps 2 and holes. But the rider does not worry about this. Motorcycle experts have trained him to deal with any situation. After some time, he reaches a small village. Suddenly, a crowd of people gathers around his motorcycle. Two men are carrying a child. This child is very sick. She needs to go to hospital straight away. The men place the little girl on the motorcycle. She sits on a little seat beside the rider. The men make sure that she is safe. Then, the rider starts his motorcycle. He rides off in a cloud of dust.

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What link is there between the world of motorcycle racing 3 and small villages in Africa? Former motorcycle racer, Randy Mamola, explained:

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“I was one of the best motorcycle riders in the world during the nineteen eighties. I knew that I was lucky. I was making a lot of money. And I was doing something that I loved - riding motorcycles. Not everybody has that chance in life. And so I wanted to give something back. I raised a lot of money. I gave it to aid agencies 4 in Africa. They were able to help many children with it. But I felt that I could do more.”

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Randy Mamola’s interest in motorcycles helped him to understand something. Africa had transport problems - especially in country areas. And the vehicles that were on the road were often in poor condition. This affected 5 people’s lives in many ways. But most importantly, it affected their health. Randy Mamola says:

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“What happens when people in far-away communities need aid? Health workers have the knowledge and medicine to help them. But what if these health workers cannot get to the village? Then, that knowledge and medicine is of no use at all!”

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Randy had friends who shared his concerns. Barry and Andrea Coleman also worked in the motorcycling world. Andrea had also been a motorcycle racer. And Barry wrote about motorcycling for a newspaper. In 1988, the three friends decided 6 to start a transport aid agency 7. They called it, “Riders for Health”.

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Andrea Coleman explains their idea:

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“‘Riders for Health’ aims to help with problems of people living in country areas. It is centred on local health workers. We train them to ride motorcycles and to care for them. They can then go to far-away villages and offer their services. Something may go wrong with the motorcycle. But the health workers should know how to fix it. So village people no longer have to just hope that someone will come to help them. They can now expect it.”

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“Riders for Health” started in Zimbabwe. The organisation’s main concern is to train health workers in two ways. Firstly, they need to know how to ride the motorcycles in the correct way. This is particularly important where road surfaces are difficult. Secondly 8, health workers need to know how to deal with any possible motorcycle problems. “Riders for Health” also has a system in place to help the workers keep their motorcycles in good condition.

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This plan has worked very well in Zimbabwe. In fact, “Riders for Health” is now responsible for all the motorcycles belonging to its Ministry 9 of Health. And now, “Riders for Health” has projects in five African countries.

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“Riders for Health” has also developed a special motorcycle for carrying sick patients to hospital. This motorcycle is called “Uhuru”. Uhuru is the Swahili word for “Freedom”. The motorcycle has thick tyres so the rider can drive off-road. It has a side-car. This is really a seat with an extra wheel. It is fixed 10 to the side of the motorcycle. It can carry a sick person. The motorcycle can also pull a wheeled box behind it. The box can hold necessary supplies such as medicine or fuel. The “Uhuru” motorcycle has brought freedom to many individuals and communities. Alex Matsika lives in Marowa village in Zimbabwe. He told his story:

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“One day I was working in my field. Suddenly, I felt a pain under my left eye. I could hear a buzzing 11 noise near my head. A large cloud of bees were attacking me! I was very afraid. I tried to run away. But it was too late. The bees stung 12 me all over my body. I was in so much pain. I cried out. Then I fell to the ground. The next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital twenty-five [25] kilometres away. How had I got there? The village people explained it to me. When I cried out, some people heard me. So they ran to call the Uhuru motorcycle rider. She drove me to the hospital as quickly as she could. I owe my life to the Uhuru - through it God saved my life.”

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Mrs. Tenha also lives in Zimbabwe. For her, the Uhuru is an economic lifeline:

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“I grow corn in my field. But there is no machine in our village to grind 13 the corn. So I have to walk to Nyabadza Business Centre. There, I can grind my corn and sell it. But it takes me three or four hours to walk there! But now, the Uhuru has changed all that. We now give our corn to the Uhuru rider. He puts everything into the trailer box. Then he rides with it to the Nyabadza Business Centre. It takes him less than an hour to reach the market and grind the corn. When he returns we collect our things. We pay a small amount for the fuel used by the motorcycle.”

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Aid agencies agree that “Riders for Health” is saving 14 people’s lives. Pamela Hartigan is chief of one such agency, the Schwab Foundation 15. She said:

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“Giving money to find a cure for diseases 16 is good. But if you cannot get the medicine to people then it is no use. ‘Riders for Health’ is such a simple idea. It works 17 so well. It is easy to see how many lives it has saved. And it can work anywhere.”