Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.

Locals to bike 100 miles to aid Malawi, Africa

Date: 2/17/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



WEST SPRINGFIELD -- West Side residents Karen and Stephen Hardy aren't like seven-time Tour de France champions Lance Armstrong but they'll have to be some kind of athletic superstars to bike from West Springfield to Brattleboro, Vt., and back in one day.

On May 30, Karen, president of Educate Malawi Inc. -- a non-profit dedicated to promoting education in this African nation -- and Stephen, secretary of the organization, will bike the 100 mile route to raise funds for desperately-needed teacher housing in Zomba, Malawi.

"We look at what the cause is for and the struggles that [people] are [experiencing] over there -- we can bike 100 miles [for them]. If it was just for me, I wouldn't do it," Stephen said.

He explained that he became dedicated to aiding those in Africa after Karen and her daughter Shannon Massey returned from a humanitarian mission in Malawi.

"I had no idea of the things that were going on over there until Karen came back from her trip," Stephen said. "To see the pictures and hear the stories [of what life is like there], that was [life] changing for me."

In May 2008, the family founded Educate Malawi Inc. Over the past several months they have raised funds for educational materials and teacher housing.

Karen explained that she hopes the Bike-a-Thon will raise $4,000 to build teacher housing in Zomba. She noted that so far the organization has been able to raise $400.

Karen and Stephen are working with organizations in Africa and with Malawians in Massachusetts to organize the construction of the teacher housing during their trip in June.

"A lot of organizations are building schools but not [teacher] housing," Karen explained. "The government pays the teachers but if it's a remote village teachers won't go because there's no place for them to stay."

Malawians Samuel and Leah Kaira, currently living in Amherst, explained that they are helping the Hardys to better understand the procedures that will allow them to build the housing this year.

Samuel praised them for their efforts to help those in his country.

"Our country is small and poor so the resources are very limited and that's why Karen and Stephen are trying to help," he said, adding that the student teacher ratio is 100 to one because teachers will not go where there isn't housing.

Leah said that once she finishes her doctorate in Education, Testing and Management at the University of Massachusetts next year, she and her family will return to Malawi, where they will continue to work with organizations like Educate Malawi Inc. to improve the nation's deficient education system.

Karen noted that the public is invited to participate in the Bike-a-thon and can participate in a 10, 50 or 100-mile route.

For more information about Educate Malawi Inc. or to help with fundraising, e-mail Karen at karen@educate-malawi.org or visit www.educate-malawi.org.