Support Peter Verbiscar-Brown’s 100 mile Super Century charity bike ride

Update: after 9 hours of riding, Peter successfully completed 100 miles, with 7,000 ft of elevation climbing! You can read his ride report here. It is also not too late to donate in celebration of his efforts, which you can do here

At 77 years old, Peter Verbiscar-Brown is back on his bike and cycling to end global poverty – and you are invited to join in!

On June 21, Peter will ride 100+ miles and climb 6,500+ feet in the “Tremendous Super Century” ride in Sonoma County – all to raise funds for Global Partners. In the past 15 annual rides, friends and supporters have raised more than $256,171, which has fueled life-changing projects for tens of thousands of people in East Africa.

This year’s ride is extra special. First, Global Partners is doubling-down on partnering with impoverished communities to enable people to climb their way out of poverty – and we’re finding new and exciting opportunities to make a positive impact. Second, Global Partners has just welcomed a new executive director. We want to help get him started with a solid boost.

Update on Last Year’s Donations

Last year, donors helped fund a new school dormitory for girls, a new library, a women’s center, and more – all in the Loliondo Region of Tanzania. Photos here and here.  Global Partners did this in partnership with a long-time local partner, the Pastoral Women’s Council.

What this year’s gift supports

This year we’re going even bigger. We’re ready to sponsor projects that improve malnutrition, provide clean energy so children can study, and give impoverished women economic opportunities.

We’re especially excited to take on projects that target hunger. In Africa, 1 in 5 people still suffer from malnutrition. Confoundingly, most of these people are also farmers. The problem is that most rural farmers don’t have access to the basic tools and knowledge that lead to larger crop yields. Global Partners is working to change this. We’ve found a half dozen local partners who are ready to deliver high-yield and drought resistant seeds, environmentally sustainable fertilizer, and lessons on proper planting techniques. The result? Farmers will grow more food, feed their communities, and climb out of poverty.

This is just a small sample of the projects we can support. We have a new partnership with a nonprofit named D-Prize, which is a platform where local leaders across sub-Saharan Africa submit their ideas for solving poverty. It’s an incredible way for us to source many more grassroots, community-led projects we otherwise couldn’t find.

Peter’s Ride Report

What a good day on the bicycle! I am happy to report that I successfully completed 100 miles as part of the Tremendous Super Century bicycle ride. At the finish, after 9 hours of riding, I hit stop on my bike computer, and it showed 100.0 precisely, with 7,000 feet of climbing, note the course profile. Integrity!

The weather couldn’t have been better: clear, blue skies, not too windy on Geysers Mountain, fabulous views of the vineyards in the valley below, a light tailwind from the north for the last 33-mile leg back to Sebastopol, and merciful temperatures all day.

When I was on the big Geysers climb, a shadow passed over me, a soaring vulture, and I thought, no meal for you today, I’m going all the way to the top without keeling over. I took it as a good omen. Thanks to you, our fundraising effort was a complete success, raising over $22,000 for the excellent Africa programs of Global Partners for Development and D-Prize. Many lives will be transformed through improved nutrition, the provision of clean energy, and access to economic opportunities for impoverished women, allowing children to study. Later this year, I’ll report on how the funds are being used.

I am grateful for your donation and your support. I am grateful to be still able to bicycle through the mountains, if not with ease, at least with good spirits. And I am thankful to the African leaders who work tirelessly on behalf of their communities, uplifting and reminding us of our common bonds. That’s my friend and neighbor Wayne and me at the start, 7 am, and fresh,
and the Wohler Bridge at 85 miles.

Thank you!
Peter

Let’s help him do another mile.