Part of the Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s Africa Odyssey Expedition for humanitarian purposes, a duo of Land Rover Defenders have now completed over 60 000 km!
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This remarkable journey spanned 60 000 kilometres across 24 African nations, focusing on delivering essential insecticide-treated mosquito nets to vulnerable communities, particularly targeting children under five and pregnant women.
Using two Defender 130 D300s affectionately named Moyo (meaning heart) and Isibindi (meaning courage), the expedition team effectively distributed 15 880 mosquito nets over the course of a year. Each net is estimated to protect a mother and two children from the dangers of malaria, illustrating the profound impact of this effort on community health. The expedition also facilitated the delivery of ‘Rite to Sight’ reading glasses and Wildlife Art templates to under-resourced areas in countries such as Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, Rwanda, DRC, South Sudan, Chad, Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.
Expedition leader Ross Holgate described the journey as particularly gruelling, noting, “Our very lives depended on the reliability of our two Defender 130s to get us out of sticky situations, and they never failed us.” The team faced a myriad of challenges, from navigating the floods of the Congo to traversing pothole-ridden roads leading to Juba. Conditions often turned roads into mud pits after rain, while makeshift bridges added further complexity to their route.
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The Sahara desert posed another significant challenge with its extreme temperatures often exceeding 50°C. Holgate highlighted the importance of maintaining speed over the soft sand and rolling dunes, praising the Defenders for their unwavering performance despite the harsh conditions.
“The Defenders’ air suspension soaked up road imperfections, allowing the drivers to endure the long hours behind the wheel,” Holgate shared, underscoring the vehicle’s comfort and capability in difficult terrains. After spending over 10 000 hours behind the wheel of a Defender, Holgate affirmed, “It is definitely the vehicle of choice for the Kingsley Holgate Foundation and the most capable vehicles we have ever driven.”
Through 40 expeditions, the Kingsley Holgate Foundation has rigorously tested the Defender across Africa and Europe, accumulating more than 150 000 kilometres in some of its latest expeditions. These include the 16 000 km Mzansi Edge Expedition and the ambitious Defender Transcontinental Expedition from Cape Town to Nordkapp in Norway, both embodying the spirit of adventure and humanitarian service that the Defender represents.
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