Cycling West Africa for Women: Water and Education

Over the past 6 months, I’ve had the incredible privilege of cycling across West Africa.

Traveling this way, I have met countless women who have shaped my experience; women who are more capable, cooler, stronger, smarter, funnier… and could absolutely ride further than me on a silly bicycle. These women show up every day to shape their own lives. What they don’t always have are the same choices and opportunities, often due to lack of education and water access. 

So, as I continue my journey, I’m PSYCHED to raise funds for two reputable, locally engaged organizations working to create better health, more time, and greater opportunities for women (and all humans, of course!): Centre for Girls Education and WaterAid. 

1) CENTRE FOR GIRLS EDUCATION, NIGERIA**: Opportunity  🎓

https://centreforgirlseducation.org

Why: More than half of girls in northern Nigeria aren’t in school. This limits girls’ future opportunities and is associated with higher rates of child marriage and early childbearing, often far before 18. Education ensures capable women have choices for their future. 

How: The Centre for Girls Education is a women-led, Nigerian nonprofit that helps girls in northern Nigeria start, re-enter and stay in school and build pathways toward greater economic independence through education, vocational training, and leadership opportunities. 

**100% of donations are passed directly to CGE through a funding bridge at OASIS (oasissahel.org), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for your tax benefit.

Impact: 

• 4% to 84%: Increase in girls’ secondary school graduation rates (yes, you read that right!) 
• 14.9 to 17.4 years: Increase in girls’ average age of marriage 

YOUR IMPACT: $50 gives a girl 4 months of access to education, skills, and greater control over their futures.

2) WATERAID: Time + Health 💧

https://www.wateraid.org/us 

Why: More than 1 in 3 people in West and Central Africa still lack access to safe drinking water. Lack of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) is a leading cause of preventable illness and deaths, especially among young children. 

Women and girls are responsible for water collection, often spending hours walking and carrying loads of up to 40 pounds. Lack of water complicates managing menstruation. These time and health barriers keep women and girls out of school and work. 

How: WaterAid expands access to WASH. They install new wells and toilets in communities, schools, and hospitals while training local committees to manage maintenance, funding, and repairs, which builds local capacity to keep these systems working.

Impact: 

• 748,000+: People reached with clean water last year.

YOUR IMPACT: $50 gives 2.5 people a lifetime of clean water. 

___________________________________

‼️BUT WAIT! YOU DONATE = BE A PART OF THE JOURNEY

This isn’t your regular old bid for donations! I want you to be a part of this! EVERY donation is already impacting women and girls’ lives, but some can also unlock fun for you:

Any donation: I write your name on my bike bags to carry you along with me <3 

Any donation of $100 or more: You have the option to CHALLENGE ME to a fun or miserable side quest which I will share on Instagram @cyclindsey. Some ideas to get you thinking:

• $5,000 i come home tomorrow (jk) (unless…)
• $250 to bike 100 miles in a day 
• $200 to get a local outfit made at a tailor and cycle in it all day 
• $150 to ask a local healer to do a blessing for YOU! 
• $100 to let local barber cut The Bob and Bangs or do my hair
• $100 to try (or learn to cook) a unique dish - i’ll send you the recipe! let’s cook it when i get home!
• ENDLESS OPPORTUNITIES ON AND OFF THE BIKE! 

Just add your challenge into the donation description or send me a private message to discuss details! I reserve the right of final challenge approval (im looking at some of you specifically) but I’m extremely down to clown and share the beauty with you!

**All donations are US tax-deductible!!**