THE route out of poverty and inequality is quality education.

The 1965Ride is an 850km cycle fund-raising initiative that takes place between Johannesburg and Komani. Funds raised are placed into an educational scholarship and bursary fund, which enables deserving learners to attend quality schools.

The cyclists are all amateur volunteers who strongly believe that improving education is a priority in our country.

All participants raise their own sponsorships to support this initiative.

Cyclists and their sponsors support the work of the Queenstown Education Foundation (QEF) bursary committee (in Komani), which provides the widest flexibility enabling it to award bursaries from across the spectrum of 11 schools in the Eastern Cape.

One of many success stories is that of bursar Jojisam Luzipo-Adu, who had the privilege of being one of the 1965Ride bursars.

Jojisam attended Queenstown Girls’ High School before being accepted at Stellenbosch University Medical School, where, at the end of 2021, she graduated with her Bachelor’s of Medicine and Surgery degree.

“I know that the support of not only my family, but all those cheering me on – the 1965Ride Team specifically – helped me reach my goal,” said Dr Jojisam Luzipo-Adu.

“I’m now a junior medical doctor in Johannesburg, finding my feet in the medical profession and I’m excited for what the future still holds for me.

“Doors remained open for me because of the good work the 1965Ride does and I’m eternally grateful, and proud to be a part of this organisation which has education at its core,” concludes Dr Jojisam Luzipo-Adu.

The route towards quality education

Now in its 12th year, the 1965Ride tour started on April 13, from Life Hospital Suikerbosrand, where ife Hospital manager, Kubashnee Naidoo, joined in the tour this year.

At the start, the group of cyclists were met by a group of Harley Bikers, who, with much fanfare, escorted the cyclists out of Heidelberg and through the traffic to keep them safe. The nine-day tour saw cyclists visiting the towns of Villiers, Warden, Bethlehem, Fouriesburg, Ficksburg, Constantia Cherry, Farmstall, Ladybrand, Hobhouse, Wepener, Zastron, Rouxville, Aliwal North, Jamestown, Penhoek Pass, and Hazelmere, before finally finishing in Queenstown/Komani on April 21.

Transforming education in Komani

1965Ride’s ultimate aim is to use the bursary schools as the fulcrum around which to drive up the standards and quality of education in the whole district, providing deserving learners the opportunity to receive a quality education, and thus provide them with the opportunities of a lifetime.

The initiative aims to transform education in the Komani district by elevating the standards and by improving the quality of learning and teaching throughout the community from preschool to PhD.

In the past 11 years the 1965Ride has been able to award more than 150 bursary years at Komani schools, which could not have been achieved without sponsorship partnerships.