Getting into cars has been the biggest doing and undoing of my life. The shortcomings have been an embarrassingly undisclosable amount of out-of-pocket expenses for maintenance, unjustifiable mods, repairs, and a reasonable number of engine swaps – most undocumented even to my closest friends. But on the flip side, the experiences, the joys, networks, and positive causes outweigh any bad decisions I might have made triggered by my passion for automobiles – that also includes that one time a decade ago I chased a newspaper van at midnight on the Eastern Bypass and barely made it out of a sharp curve clocking 170 kph. Don’t beat me up too much about the latter, I’m much older now, and understand when it’s safe to let go of the gas pedal.
Forgive me for getting into a rollercoaster of emotions there. I’m compelled to let that out after the series of events that happened over this weekend. The Subaru Owners Club of Eldoret just completed one of its most successful charity gigs since the group began about 2 years ago. They drove all the way to Home of Hope in Jinja, Uganda, overcoming the logistical hurdles of continental immigration, driving in unfamiliar territory, and spending a weekend away from their workplaces, businesses, and, most importantly, their families. All these were made possible by their humble hosts across the pond – Forester Owners Uganda, and Subaru Owners Jinja.
Three car clubs, one charity mission of hope across the border
Subaru Owners of Eldoret were escorted by a Kenyan entourage that included the Outback and Volvo Tribe from Nairobi. I was lucky enough to meet the trio at their first meetup point – Shell, Annex, in Eldoret, Kenya. And while the teams did not leave until midday, I had enough time to interact with all the members of the respective groups and even do a warm-up lap through the Eldoret Bypass all the way to Turbo town. I must admit, in the two hours of our interaction, I could already tell the charity event in Jinja, Uganda, was going to be both a success and a turning point for the East African car enthusiast community.
“Your decision to travel all the way from Eldoret to join us was not something small; it was a powerful statement of unity, love, and shared purpose. You did not just come as visitors, you came as brothers and sisters, and your presence uplifted both our team and the community we served,” Forester Owners Uganda said in a statement.
The beginning of inter-country city car club collaboration in Africa
Subaru Owners Club of Eldoret, Outback Tribe, Volvo Tribe, Forester Owners Uganda, and Subaru Owners of Jinja have, single-handedly, opened the doors to inter-country car events in East Africa. That’s not to say that these events haven’t been happening. NO. There’s always been an East African Motorsports Championship (Drags, TT, Rally, etc). However, what I mean is that there’s never been an interaction quite like this among individual city car clubs from different countries converging —not for the spirit of motorsports, but for the spirit of giving to vulnerable children in our communities.
An endeavor that I feel is the most noble of all. Please take some time to reflect on the inspiration these children have drawn from witnessing car owners cross borders for their sake. This could be the biggest motivator in their lives, and we owe it all to the individual car groups and sponsors that made this happen.
“Keep doing good, stretching your hands to the less fortunate pleases God’s heart, and that’s how we tap blessings. We were recognized in a foreign land. Like Joseph at his home, he was nothing, but got recognition in Egypt, a foreign land. Touch a child’s heart somewhere,” Grace Mwangi, a Subaru Owners of Eldoret Committee member, disclosed.
More than UGX 8,000,000 raised for Children of Home of Hope in Jinja, Uganda
The Kenyan entourage raised about UGX 8,000,000 (about KES 315,000) in honor of Home of Hope in Jinja, Uganda. A convoy of more than 15 cars and about 35 members snaked through the Malaba Border in Kenya, all the way to Jinja, Uganda, to make the charity event a success. All the money collected from the event was used to buy food, supplies, stationery, and effects for the vulnerable children at Home of Hope in Jinja, Uganda. NB: As a matter of policy, the Subaru Owners Club of Eldoret never offers cash as part of its charity donations.
“One of our key aspects as Subaru Owners of Eldoret is giving back to society, and giving back to the less fortunate. That is why we have driven all the way from Eldoret to Uganda, Jinja, Home of Hope, for that specific purpose,” Isaac Kimutai, Chairperson, Subaru Owners Club of Eldoret, and Proprietor of RBK Automotive, told Vivo Energy during an interview.
Forester Owners of Uganda, and Subaru Owners of Jinja, the hosts of the event, were gracious enough to extend their hospitality to the Kenyan Car Club visitors by offering a tour of their culture-rich town of Jinja. The visitors were in awe of Jinja’s geographical gems and vowed to continue enriching the bond they had built over the short weekend. These are no longer respective car clubs – but a network of friends and family, all because of cars!
In case you’d like to witness what happened in Jinja, Uganda, subscribe to Motindechu on YouTube and click the notifications icon to get updates when the full video finally drops. Feel free to explore the gallery section. Pictures in the Gallery courtesy of Bitvision Technologies.
