The Fun Zimbabwe Ride 2009 was a 2009 fundraising event in Zimbabwe for H.E.L.P. International, a children's charity with projects in Zimbabwe. History The event was the brainchild of Richard Pantlin from Oxford. In 2008, Pantlin was looking for ways to raise funds for charities doing work in Zimbabwe. He had already been fundraising for charities with projects in South Africa. His main method of fundraising was to ride his bicycle to foreign locations. An Internet search revealed that H.E.L.P. International, a children's charity, had projects in Zimbabwe. On inquiry Pantlin got in touch with Asher Mupasi, a trustee of the charity. By coincidence, Asher was setting up an annual fund raising bicycle race in Zimbabwe by locals to encourage locals to participate in raising funds for funding child welfare projects in their area. H.E.L.P. International would be staging a race each year. The charity was fundraising to build a children's home at Chatsworth, Zimbabwe. There were already a number of children cared for in selected homes in the community, but some were HIV-positive and required special attention, and a children's home would be the best way to cater for their needs. After some discussion, the two men agreed to stage the fundraising bike ride within Zimbabwe itself. In early 2008, Zimbabwe was considered unusual in that there were acute shortages of almost every commodity in the country. The ride would be a challenge on many levels. A published report on life expectancy in Zimbabwe suggested it was the lowest in the world at female life expectancy of 34 years and male life of 37 years. This suggested that both Richard and Asher should be already dead if they were living in Zimbabwe. The international press was, at this point, awash with condemnation of the Zimbabwe government and warning visitors not to visit the country. The project had other threats such as the outbreak of Cholera, the disappearances of political individuals, the strikes by health and other staff, the absence of what might be called law and order, etc. The general advice was "Do not venture into Zimbabwe" The announcement that the project was going ahead coincided with the arrival of the world recession and many would be contributors were affected, leaving the projected financially exposed. The organizers did not want to postpone seeing that the plight of the children was getting worse. The ride occurred in April 2009. By