Cycle2Zero@home

Join mothers2mothers cycling together towards zero transmission of HIV

From 23 – 25 October, we invite you to join us for an epic weekend cycling extravaganza and go the extra mile in solidarity with mothers2mothers’ (m2m) frontline health heroes. Are you up for the challenge?

As COVID-19 hits the African continent with full force, the more than one million women, children, and families we serve need us more than ever. Our frontline staff – the amazing women living with HIV we employ as Mentor Mothers across 10 countries – are bolstering sub-Saharan Africa’s under-resourced health systems while supporting their clients to stay healthy and safe in the face of two pandemics—COVID-19 and HIV.

Mentor Mothers often cycle far and wide to reach marginalised and vulnerable clients, so this October we are asking you to pedal with us towards our goal of zero transmission of HIV and COVID-19. Not a cyclist? Don’t worry, you can run, swim or row to make your miles count. Will you join us?

Cycle2Zero

We’re challenging individuals around the world to get moving for m2m – in any way you like – to raise much needed funds for m2m and our frontline staff.

This challenge is open to everyone, no matter where you are or your fitness ability. So, why not get your friends and family together to take on the challenge and help us cover more miles than ever before to support m2m’s frontline health heroes!

For individuals: Teddy Atim, an m2m Mentor Mother from Uganda cycles 5 miles to reach the health facility where she works, that’s around 50 miles a week. Can you cycle 50 miles over just one weekend? What’s the fastest time you can cover 5 miles in? Set your own challenge and cycle walk, swim or run…any way you like. Click here to get involved.

For adrenaline seekers: Our elite challenge group will be taking on a 36-hour challenge, cycling time slots continuously over the weekend. If you think you’re up for cycling a little further, and reaching a higher fundraising target, click here.

For the workplace: After months of working apart, are you looking to bond as a team, and work together to take on an extreme challenge? Could your colleagues cycle 50, 75, or 200 miles? We want to find out! Click here to find out about m2m’s workplace challenge.

While the COVID-19 pandemic means Cycle2Zero cannot take place as planned in one of the countries where we work, we want to keep the wheels moving and invite even more people to get on their bikes, or any other form of exercise, and take on the new Cycle2Zero@home. It doesn’t matter where you are or how you get involved, we want to see you move for a cause. And don’t forget to tag m2m on social media using #Cycle2Zero.

Get Involved

By taking part in Cycle2Zero@home, you’ll be making a huge difference to communities in sub-Saharan Africa affected by HIV and COVID-19. You can join in, wherever you live, with whomever you like – family, friends, colleagues, or by yourself.

You are invited to complete one of three challenges:

Take on your own Cycle2Zero@home challenge and cover 50 miles over the weekend of 23 – 25 October, any way you like, on any type of wheels. £30/$40 registration fee.

Join our elite 36-hour challenge group who will be cycling time slots, day and night over the weekend, for those who want to challenge themselves even further.

£100/$130 individual registration fee – £1,000/$1,300 fundraising target
£250/$325 household/team registration fee- £2,500/$3,250 fundraising target

Motivate and inspire your work colleagues with our workplace challenge. Click here to find out more. £250/$325 registration fee, minimum 5 people.

REGISTER

Pick the challenge that suits you and click here to join team Cycle2Zero today.

FUNDRAISE

Set up a JustGiving (Europe) or JustGiving (US) page and share far and wide.

MOVE

Cycle, run, walk, or swim to take part and track your activity on fitness app Strava.

Taking part on your own?

See how far you can cycle in an hour and beat that in your next hour!
Time laps of your local park
Lie on your back and do bicycle legs for 45 minutes
Run or walk 5 miles and set yourself a time limit
Swim 20 lengths of your local pool
Kayak, swim, or paddle board

Taking part as a family or team?

Plan a family bike ride at your favourite park
Climb a local mountain or hilltop together (Fun Fact: did you know the distance across Lake Malawi is over 46 miles?)
Organise a relay race
Set yourself a challenge to only reach friends by bike or foot and ask them to sponsor your efforts
Find out who can run around the garden the most times

However you take part, move for a cause with m2m this October. Register here.

Fundraise

Put the FUN in fundraising. If you are taking part in Cycle2Zero@home, get your friends, family, and colleagues to sponsor you – and encourage them to take part too! If you’re based in Europe, click here to set up your JustGiving page, or for those in the US, set up a JustGiving US page.

If you’re looking for creative ways to help boost your fundraising, why not try one of the following ideas…

Set Milestones

Do you want to hit a personal best? Friends might double their donation if you do. Don’t forget to track all your activity on the fitness app Strava and join the mothers2mothers club.

Wonder Women Celebration*

Host an afternoon tea or dinner in support of m2m’s Wonder Women and ask friends to make a donation. Celebrate the people in your life and m2m Mentor Mothers.

Quiz Night*

Put your knowledge to the test with your very own quiz night. Why not make it cycle-themed? The winning team gets to nominate an individual or a team to take part in Cycle2Zero@home!

*For those of you living in cities where social distancing is in place, please adhere to social distancing rules.

£500

Could equip one Mentor Mother with a smartphone and tablet, plus fund training on how to use mobile health apps to reach the most vulnerable clients in a socially distanced world.

£1,000

Could buy five bicycles for Community Mentor Mothers to reach women and families in remote and marginalised communities.

£5,000

Could train four women living with HIV as they begin their transformative journey to become an m2m Mentor Mother – frontline community health workers who protect communities from not only HIV, but now also COVID-19.

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, m2m has been scaling up its response, adapting its services, and protecting its clients and frontline team – the women living with HIV we employ as Mentor Mothers who have been designated as ‘essential workers.’

With your support, Mentor Mothers can continue to support women and families to stay healthy and safe during this global health emergency, and beyond.

Together we can make sure we leave no one behind.

Workplace Challenge

From 23-25 October, we’re asking company teams to use their pedal power and join m2m for our biggest challenge yet.

To take part in m2m’s workplace challenge:

1. SIGN UP

Motivate your colleagues and register a team. There must be a minimum of five members.

Team registration fee: £250/$325.

2. FUNDRAISE

Set up a JustGiving (Europe) or JustGiving (US) page.

Fundraising target: minimum £1,000/$1,300 per team member.

3. RIDE

Pick a challenge below for your team.

Whether you cycle together or in a relay challenge, see who can do it fastest and keep track on Strava!

1 – Beginners: The Teddy Challenge

Mentor Mother Teddy Atim travels 5 miles to get to the health facility where she works in Uganda, every day. Can you cover the distance she travels each week, 50 miles, over the weekend?

2 – Intermediate: The Esther Challenge

Community Mentor Mother Esther Anyango cycles 10 miles to reach the health clinic where she participates in facility meetings. She does this four times a month which is around 75 miles a month. Can you cover 75 miles over the weekend?

3 – Experienced: The Harriet Challenge

Harriet Mutesi, travels 10 miles a day to reach the health facility where she works, that is almost 200 miles a month. Can you cover 200 miles over the weekend?

Start a team, inspire your colleagues, and sign up now!

Sponsor the event: Partner with us on Cycle2Zero@home and put your brand front and center on every step of the journey.

Get in touch! If you would like to find out more about the Cycle2Zero@home workplace challenge or sponsoring the event, please contact Kasia Bailey: [email protected].