Afrika Dispatches from the Outside Edge

Driven by his passion for exploration and a sincere love of Africa, intrepid modern-day adventurer Kingsley Holgate and his family set off on an epic 64 327-kilometre journey around the circumference of the continent. Their 33-country expedition takes them over jagged mountains, through dense jungles, across raging rivers and along rutted roads into hostile terrain. En route they face not only the caprice of nature, belligerent warlords and the tedium of border-crossing routines, but they also encounter the real face of Africa: humble gratitude, modest generosity and the affable goodwill that embraces travellers here, whatever their colour or creed. But more than a thirst for adventure guides the course of this party – theirs is a grassroots struggle against a disease that claims countless lives each year. Under the banner of One Net One Life, Kingsley and his helpers distribute nearly a quarter million mosquito nets to pregnant women and mothers with small children. They also dispense spectacles to the poor-sighted and promote literacy by donating mobile libraries, colouring-in books and pens to jubilant youngsters in rural communities.