Vision Group, EduCycling partner for 10,000km literacy ride

Three years after a successful cycling campaign that encouraged safer cycling, cleaner air, and healthier communities, Vision Group is partnering with EduCycling Africa for a new 10,000-kilometer ride.

This time, the focus is on early childhood literacy.

On Monday, August 10, cyclist Hakim Owinyi set off on the first leg of a 10,000-kilometer journey from Kampala to Hoima for the EduCycling initiative. His ride is meant to raise awareness and support for early childhood literacy. Owinyi is also helping to start the 15-minute Everyday Parent and Child Reading and Conversation campaign.

The first segment from Kampala to Hoima, covering 200 km of the 10,000 km, will make 200 books possible toward the 10,000-book target.

The New Vision Editor-in-Chief Miria Sidney Babanga, along with marketers Raymond Mugisha, manager Wan Luo, TV Max Adii, and other campaign partners like Rotary Club of Kampala president Edith Ogola-Jackson, Book Enthusiasts Kampala's Aretha Kebirungi, CIV Source Africa's Jacqueline Assimwe, and Impact Nutrition's Regina Nantege, officially started Owinyi's journey. Fellow cyclists Ismail Ssekiwu and Richie Tugume joined him at the beginning to support the effort to promote daily reading.

"This is a national call to every parent, caregiver, teacher, and community member to spend just 15 minutes a day reading, telling stories, and talking with a child. Fifteen minutes to build language, 15 minutes to spark curiosity, and 15 minutes to build confidence and stronger family bonds. Another 15 minutes that could entirely change your child's future," Babanga said.

He also said that as Owinyi cycles across Uganda, he will bring more than just a bike. He will bring books to underserved communities, conversations to schools, and a message to families and local leaders that early literacy begins at home. "It starts with a parent; it starts with a caregiver."

He explained that the ride is meant to encourage schools, governments, and families to take up the 15-minute daily reading habit and to use media and community support to inspire more people to join in.

"To our partners in government, civil society, and sport, thank you for believing that literacy and healthy communities go hand in hand. As Vision Group, we are honoured to amplify this cause through our multimedia platforms because we believe in the power of media to advance society," Babanga stated.

"Through our Media in Education project, in partnership with Save the Children, we distribute 2,300 copies of the Weekend Vision to selected primary schools in the remote communities of Karamoja and Acholi sub-regions. We also nurture young readers through the Toto Magazine, our children's publication for those under 13, designed to spark imagination, literacy, and a lifelong love for reading. The newspaper is the cheapest textbook, and there are definite outcomes for schools that engage with the newspaper."

"We want to rally everyone, every parent, every uncle, every Ugandan, to begin to read just for 15 minutes to these little minds, such that they can form a habit, and that habit, you never know, will change their lives forever."

EduCycling Africa believes that through books, children can teleport across time, experiencing cultures, eras, and perspectives far beyond their physical surroundings. The first years of a child's life shape their entire future.

"By promoting early childhood literacy, we are not just teaching children how to read stories; we are building the foundation for lifelong learning, critical thinking, and cognitive growth."

Every kilometer cycled towards EduCycling represents commitment to home-based literacy. "We are nurturing a reading culture by turning homes and neighbourhoods into daily learning centers. Let us cycle together for a future where every single child aged 3-13 years has accumulated experiences and knowledge through daily reading. Before they code, they must read."

On Wednesday, Owinyi completed his second mile and documented his journey.

“As I was riding my bike, I saw a school. Something told me to take a detour, so I went with my gut and turned into the school grounds. I walked right into the first office I saw and introduced myself to the staff, saying, "My name is Owiny Hakim, and my classroom is on two wheels." I explained that I'm cycling across the country to connect with teachers like them who are shaping the future generation. We got talking, and I shared the mission of EduCycling.

“The basics of early childhood literacy are crucial for all learning, and schools can't do it all. My goal is to get educators like you on board to help connect classrooms and homes, turning parents into active partners in education. This is the message I bring to every staff room I have the chance to visit. With the school term wrapping up, you teachers have a great opportunity to connect closely with parents during closing events and when handing out report cards. I'm asking you to use this time to encourage parents to set aside at least 15 minutes each day to read with their children at home. My mobile classroom journey took me through five schools, each playing a key role in the early learning network. Bukomero Junior Primary School, The educators there really set a positive vibe for the day's activities.

“I visited Katera Primary School, Ssinde Primary School, St. Joseph Lunya and Kawawa Primary School. The welcome at each school was really touching. The teachers paid close attention and thanked me for bringing these ideas directly to them. We swapped contact information and started planning our next steps. First, we're going to set up a formal partnership to organise a school literacy day at these schools. Second, we'll collaborate to connect directly with the local communities to create Children’s Book Access Points, designed for young children aged 3 to 13.

“This cannot be achieved without local ownership. By identifying dedicated community literacy volunteers, we aim to build a sustainable network where young children are constantly interacting with print materials, fostering a lifelong love for reading right from their doorsteps. Even though the actual cycling distance today was not very long, the schedule remained tight.

The Second Mile is officially complete; contacts have been exchanged, and the seeds of early childhood literacy are planted.”