The cycling event will be held under the theme, 'Support a School – Cycle2School'. According to OCC chairperson, Sarah Moatshe, she said the annual event is aimed at promoting cycling and raising funds to support underprivileged members of the community. In relation to the theme, she stated that the Cycle2School programme attempts to improve children' academic achievement by tackling issues brought on by long daily journeys. “The bicycles will be procured and distributed to underprivileged students who on daily basis walk long distances to and from school thus empowering them to overcome transportation challenges,” she said. Additionally, Moatshe indicated the initiative supports their cycling philosophy as the OCC with respect to youth development, which focuses on the need to increase youth participation in cycling by introducing them to the sport at a young age. Speaking about previous initiatives, she stated that OCC has supported communities within Boteti District such as funding a poultry business for four poverty-stricken people at Metsiaela settlement in Letlhakane in conjunction with Boteti Sub-District Council.
She further said they also procured a photocopier and Primary School Leaving Examinations (PSLE) revision books for Matshumu Primary School in Boteti Sub-District to improve educational outcomes. OCC also purchased equipment to assist with cycling sport development, which includes bicycle carrier/trailer to enable transportation of bicycles whilst participating in cycling races as well as procurement of development bicycles and supporting gear to enable youth to participate in the sport, she added. Giving a brief background of OCC, Moatshe said the club is a non-profit making organisation established in 2007 with a mission to partner with communities and like-minded stakeholders to promote cycling as a healthy sport. Furthermore, the club aspires to become the best cycling club in Botswana and become a national key stakeholder that partakes in development of expert riders that ride at national team level, U23 and Elite levels through member recruitment and development programmes. She also said OCC endeavours to use its annual cycling challenge as a platform to attract tourists to Boteti thus promoting development of the district.
