Return of the Rainbow Expedition

Led by modern day adventurer, Kingsley Holgate and his family team, traveling by Arab dhow, Yamaha powered inflatables and a convoy of Land Rovers from Durban to the Somali Border and back. The USAID supported African Rainbow Expedition with its successful ONE NET ONE LIFE campaign to save lives through malaria prevention has finally reached Omuhipiti, better known as Ilha de Mozambique, the one time Portuguese capital of Mozambique now a colorful, “lost in time” world heritage site.

Photo by: Jay Knott

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By Motorola HF Radio, we pick up the story of this epic year long odyssey…

We’re being beaten by the monsoon rains, heat and humidity, the creaking wooden deck too hot to stand on. Erratic rain squalls tear the sails and then after the rain, “becalmed” as we scoop bucketfuls of fresh rainwater from the stretched tarpaulins into our drinking containers. Traveling south on the Kas Kazi trade wind from the Somali Border - - it’s a race against time, before the big rains come and the winds change. Our objective has always been to reach the ancient southern gateway of the East African dhow trade. And here we are, just five kilometers from our destination. A flotilla of over 30 fishing dhows sail out of from the Island to meet us, the Port Captain, dressed in white, waves us forward. Abdul Mahdi, he’s sailed with us from Mafia Island, blows furiously on the conch shell, it calls up the wind, the Swahili crew chant as we pull on the ropes, the massive lateen rigged sail, pregnant with the Kas Kazi trade wind, proudly propels the Spirit Of Adventure dhow towards the stone fort of São Sebastião, jutting out into the Sea of Zinj, it’s high walls and ancient canons dominating the northern tip of this tiny historic island.

On the beach, traditional dancers swing and sway to the drumbeat, the administrator, mayor and elders are there to meet us. We drop anchor and load bales of mosquito nets onto the rubber ducks, pregnant mums and babies wait under the shade trees to receive them. Malaria is rife here. Arab dhows such as ours once carried thousands of slaves from here and raped the coast of ivory, rhino horn, cowrie shells and mangrove poles, we bring life saving mosquito nets for mums and babies. The Land Rover Team are here to meet us, we hug and shake hands, I can’t believe we’ve made it. Endorsements are added to the Scroll of Peace & Goodwill in support of malaria prevention that we have been carrying from Durban to the Somali Border and now all the way back south.

Ilha de Mozambique marks the end of our Spirit of Adventure dhow journey, but right now it’s time for a short break as the summer monsoon rains hit Northern Mozambique.

The next challenge is a 600 km Zambezi odyssey by river craft and USAID branded Land Rover back up team from Boroma Mission to the sea, distributing a further 5000 nets to remote villages that have no regular health services, in an area hard hit by malaria. This part of the African Rainbow Expedition will coincide with Africa Malaria Day, then it’s across the Save and Limpopo Rivers to return to Durban a year after having set off in June 2005. Through your USAID ONE NET ONE LIFE campaign you have saved thousands of lives, it would not have been possible without your support. We’ll keep you posted.

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Photo Gallery

The images shown here were mainly taken by Ross Holgate from the African Rainbow Expedition Team and by USAID employees in the course of their work. You can read a short description by holding the cursor above the photograph. Click the image to see a larger version.

Initial meeting with the Minister of Health and USAID officials	School kids showing malaria pamphlets at Bobole launch	Happy family at Bobole launch	Sr. Baptista, from the Ministry of Health conducting an interview
Calling the wind	Captain Simba steering the Amina	Kingsley Holgate and crew	A bridge somewhere in Zambezia
Crossing the Rovuma River	The launching in Bobole	Demonstrating how to use a bed net in Pemba	Early breakfast in the bush
Crossing the Zambeze River	Fording - Zambezia Province	Returning home with mosquito nets in Pemba	Showing how to use a mosquito net
It's not always easy	Kingsley Holgate	Launching ceremony in Durban	Malaria education gathering
Kids at the Bobole launch	Holgate, the scroll and cheerful group	The expedition	Mom and baby under a mosquito net
Mothers and their children in Gaza Province	Happy moms with bednets and malaria leaflets in Pemba	They are giving mosquito nets there	Mosquito net distribution at the Spirit of Adventure
Loading nets onto dhow	Expedition team with village leaders, mom and babies	Signing the malaria reports	Gathering at the Amina for bed net distribution
Mother and child with net in Pemba	Holgate and USAID officials at Bobole launch	Visiting Mary Livingstone grave in Chupanga (Zambezia)	Men's bike race
Mother and child in Pemba	Happy moms and babies with nets	Sr. Baptista from MOH in a branded jeep	Cheerful crowd welcomes the expedition team
Everyone counts	Moms and babies at a malaria educational talk	Mother and child with a bike and net	Women in line to receive mosquito nets