It’s not just us at Bambini nel Deserto who organize motorcycle expeditions to reach the areas affected by the September 2023 earthquake. Below is the expedition that left yesterday, February 28th, from Portugal, as told firsthand by its organizer, Tiago Machete.
The idea of undertaking this charity journey to support children affected by the major earthquake in Morocco was born in my classroom. My name is Tiago Machete, and I am a Portuguese teacher at Fragata do Tejo School Group in the village of Moita, Portugal, near Lisbon. My goal is to stimulate my students’ sense of empathy while also helping them build collective knowledge about natural phenomena, particularly earthquakes. To this end, my students were first invited to explore and discuss topics presented on the website www.aterratreme.pt/. After learning about the devastating effects of earthquakes and how we should be prepared to face them, my students were asked to participate in a competition to create an advertisement about earthquakes. Each student wrote their own text, and the winner was awarded a JBL speaker by the company SIKLA, after being voted on and displayed in the school library.
Following this first phase, my students were given the task of collecting donations for Moroccan children affected by the 2023 earthquake, while I committed myself to finding a way to reach these children. The idea of making this motorcycle journey was born with a group of friends who were also highly motivated to help. The school project continued, and a second competition was held for the best slogan for the journey. The winning slogan, awarded JBL headphones by SIKLA, was included on a sticker we created.
My students watched the film “On the Way to School” by UNESCO and held a debate on the difficulties many students face just to get to school. They also read the book “Pedro Alecrim” by António Mota, which tells the story of a student struggling with education due to the long distance from his home and the responsibilities he has, such as taking care of animals and helping his poor parents.
On February 28th, my students organized the departure event for the motorcycle expedition. Throughout the day, motorcycles and riders, including myself, were at the school, and all students had the opportunity to take photos with the bikes.
During this journey, we will transport the donations collected by the students, amounting to approximately 1,000 pieces of clothing and footwear (pants, sweaters, socks, hats, boots, shoes, coats, gloves, and children’s clothing), as well as diapers, backpacks, and some toys. We also received support from several companies that donated school supplies for 150 children (pens, colored pencils, crayons, paper, charcoal, etc.) and a video projector to equip one of the schools we will visit.
These companies are SIKLA, Panificadora Espiga, Monteiros Wash & Detail, Knives on Wheels, and the insurance broker Vitorinos.
The eight participants in the motorcycle journey are:
José Vicente (Honda Transalp 700)
Nuno Cristóvão (Moto Guzzi V85T)
César Miroso (Yamaha T7)
Nelson Jorge (Honda Africa Twin XRV 750)
Francisco Soares (BMW GS 1250)
Fernando Verdi (BMW GS 1250)
Luís Monteiro (Yamaha T7)
Tiago Machete (Honda Africa Twin CRF1000L)
The oldest participant is 63 years old, and the youngest is 29. Each participant has personally covered the travel expenses, amounting to approximately €2,500 per person, including motorcycle preparation and travel costs.
Finally, I would like to highlight that Bambini nel Deserto has provided us with invaluable support by identifying the ideal locations for donation deliveries, offering contacts for the school representatives where we will distribute materials, and giving us essential advice to ensure the success of this mission.
