Lesotho: a place you've probably hardly heard of and know even less about. Lesotho is a landlocked country of just over 2 million that is completely surrounded by South Africa. Lesotho has some of the world's highest rates of AIDS and tuberculosis, two diseases that can be managed or cured (respectively) with the right medical attention and drugs, the problem is no one can reach the rural villages due to the lack of proper roads. Tsepo Kotelo, a health assistant in Lesotho with the impossible task of caring for the people in these rural villages was terribly inefficient walking for miles each day to reach his patients, until he got a motorcycle.
Now instead of visiting three villages a week he zips to at least 20. Armed with the bike, a helmet, some gear and a short lesson, he is helping exponentially more people. In the villages Kotelo tests for disease, educates about disease, assists with sanitation practices, immunizes babies and treats for basic diseases. His colleagues received motorcycles as well, collecting blood samples and delivering them to laboratories to see if the medicine is working.
The motorcycles were donated by the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the maintenance to the off-road style bikes comes from Riders for Health. While the western world speeds forward with medical technology and understanding, most third world countries struggle and suffer from even curable diseases due to shoddy distribution of assistance. While we enjoy our two-wheeled machines on sunny Saturdays, two-wheeled machines are also are saving lives around the world. To read more about the Riders for Health or to support the program check out: riders.org.
