tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41592934638365275872024-02-07T14:04:13.375+00:00Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)All about the adventures of the first latino-american cyclotourist:
zedopedal@gmail.comJosé Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-74521494742988488692010-06-22T13:36:00.006+01:002010-09-22T13:53:09.083+01:00Videos: Zé in Johannesburg<center><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" id="rnrujhp3" width="432" height="415"><param name="movie" value="http://images.video.msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swf" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#ffffff" /><param name="base" value="." /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="flashvars" value="player.c=v&player.v=adbeb708-2392-46fd-9632-bfbfe59cadd3&mkt=pt-br&configCsid=msnvideo&configName=syndicationplayer" /><embed src="http://images.video.msn.com/flash/customplayer/1_0/customplayer.swf" width="432" height="415" id="60svelnf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" base="." wmode="transparent" flashvars="player.c=v&player.v=adbeb708-2392-46fd-9632-bfbfe59cadd3&mkt=pt-br&configCsid=msnvideo&configName=syndicationplayer"></embed></object><noembed><a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=pt-br&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:adbeb708-2392-46fd-9632-bfbfe59cadd3&showPlaylist=true&from=IV2_pt-br_lancenet&fg=lancenet" target="_new" title="Conheça Zé do Pedal, o brasileiro que viajou de Paris à Johannesburgo pedalando um quadriciclo">Vídeo: Conheça Zé do Pedal, o brasileiro que viajou de Paris à Johannesburgo pedalando um quadriciclo</a></noembed></center><br /><center><object width=320 height=240><param name='movie' value='http://www.dzai.com.br/static/ps9.swf'></param><param name='allowFullScreen' value='true'></param><param name='allowscriptaccess' value='always'></param><param name='flashvars' value='video_id=http://www.dzai.com.br/static/user/16/16854/9358fbee7950623328467b42cc585386.flv&image=http://www.dzai.com.br/static/user/16/16854/9358fbee7950623328467b42cc585386_preview.jpg&autoLoad=false&autoPlay=true' /><embed src='http://www.dzai.com.br/static/ps9.swf' type='application/x-shockwave-flash' allowscriptaccess='always' allowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='240' flashvars='video_id=http://www.dzai.com.br/static/user/16/16854/9358fbee7950623328467b42cc585386.flv&image=http://www.dzai.com.br/static/user/16/16854/9358fbee7950623328467b42cc585386_preview.jpg&autoLoad=false&autoPlay=true'></embed></object></center><br /><br />Video: <a target="blank" href="http://g.sports.yahoo.com/soccer/world-cup/video/ssworldcup-19013964/longest-journey-to-world-cup-20472962">Longest Journey to World Cu</a>pJosé Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-48501869098027168482010-06-03T13:38:00.010+01:002010-09-22T13:44:13.186+01:00Latest news: Pedal Joe arrives in Johannesburg !<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxIGOKHQ78515evoIbhVv6VWxZQdNF2ct51VEoVwAF86Ct5oLD_zUs5sB6vL0d2zRIFm3FigFiRXCtAVwzOQwApdTZ_uoTUTPxgdosu2PG_lIedxEfZiLjmiaz12SvGzW438hQ4fIvHk/s1600/DSC_3200.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRxIGOKHQ78515evoIbhVv6VWxZQdNF2ct51VEoVwAF86Ct5oLD_zUs5sB6vL0d2zRIFm3FigFiRXCtAVwzOQwApdTZ_uoTUTPxgdosu2PG_lIedxEfZiLjmiaz12SvGzW438hQ4fIvHk/s400/DSC_3200.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478914473234659826" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pedal Joe’s contact in South Africa:<br />+27-716381332</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Brazil was still not classified when the cyclist, environmentalist and photographer José Geraldo de Souza Castro, Zé do Pedal (alias "Pedal Joe"), aged 52, ex-adviser for the Environment of the District LC12 of the Lions Club of Viçosa, Brazil, announced, in January of 2008, his wish to assist to the first Football World Cup that would take place in the African continent while traveling on a children's Go-Kart.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Few believed in the strange dream of this Brazilian who had, by that time, already assisted to two World Cups and had travelled, by bicycle, through more than 56 countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiGz0vqc6w13pfLC86aNrD-AnHrZ_unj6SIF4H7WyaQWXsPtUanHAUHwBO7wI-nlGLBpMDCVHw2FG25Woe2o7JbbM1cZMHC1GKKBhiSjAB4Bu0tZGYvuYwXPpdGGOy7-xSWU951EcuOE/s1600/DSC_3208.jpg"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieiGz0vqc6w13pfLC86aNrD-AnHrZ_unj6SIF4H7WyaQWXsPtUanHAUHwBO7wI-nlGLBpMDCVHw2FG25Woe2o7JbbM1cZMHC1GKKBhiSjAB4Bu0tZGYvuYwXPpdGGOy7-xSWU951EcuOE/s320/DSC_3208.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478913961759001394" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The strongest support came from the Dutch company <b>BERG Toys</b> (<a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">www.bergtoys.com</a>) who believed in that dream and adapted for him their best model of pedal go-cart, the Berg X - Treme, and equipped it with high durability tires, a polyethylene rim, reinforced transmission train, tortion bar, steel frame, disk brakes on the rear wheels, 7 speed gearbox, head lights, anatomical seat, Saint Anthony, anti-theft system, LED lights, solar panel, rear-view mirrors, and odometers, for the long journey of more than 17.000 kms through 21 countries of Europe and Africa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Two years and three weeks after having left, on the 10th of May of 2008, the giant structure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, and having pedaled across Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benim, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Congolese Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia and, finally, South Africa, having contracted during that time two malarias, suffered a theft and two assault attempts, Pedal Joe finally arrived last Tuesday, the first of June, at Melrose Arch in Johannesburg, having fulfilled his dream of pedaling during 3049 hours and done the 17350 kms that separate Paris from the South African football capital.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3PVWcQHiZ4uvBEmZGxbCg1Iz3mi_ZQuf_aBoypykvDuZZRTFPaO1dxnx4DRxTCaadr0JUet9DxH2oZZAvJKENQhSUofCsAfP2vsw-G2kJBGfR_I5vVZIR45q9d7fNe4UDS8i4AbcLB4/s1600/DSCF4253.jpg"><img style="text-align: justify;display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3PVWcQHiZ4uvBEmZGxbCg1Iz3mi_ZQuf_aBoypykvDuZZRTFPaO1dxnx4DRxTCaadr0JUet9DxH2oZZAvJKENQhSUofCsAfP2vsw-G2kJBGfR_I5vVZIR45q9d7fNe4UDS8i4AbcLB4/s320/DSCF4253.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478900174038341234" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe was received in Melrose Arch by representatives of BERG Toys, members of the Lions Club of South Africa, children and passers-by who cheered him on his final turns of the pedal, which filled his heart with emotion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe will remain in Johannesburg during the World Cup Top and return to Brazil mid-July. During his stay he plans to visit social undertakings of the Lions Clubs in several cities of South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Mozambique.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-81381758214864030242010-05-24T08:36:00.010+01:002010-06-04T14:58:59.900+01:00World Cup 2010: Brazilian in a pedal go-cart completes 17.000 kms bound for Johannesburgo<a target="blank” onblur=" try="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn8Aa09valUr_zsyQa_fnm7FvHd5S5PdxHubUVuhq6mEi3ErKn_dLXvJlzulRaiAq0pj3qFROtOroPqbRVDF6j0Oj-MA4bNHNW9Knr7EcTce8JVnsMIUr1Q037jol62D9D3Fk3J4fdbI/s1600/convite+de+chegada.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJn8Aa09valUr_zsyQa_fnm7FvHd5S5PdxHubUVuhq6mEi3ErKn_dLXvJlzulRaiAq0pj3qFROtOroPqbRVDF6j0Oj-MA4bNHNW9Knr7EcTce8JVnsMIUr1Q037jol62D9D3Fk3J4fdbI/s400/convite+de+chegada.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477708200876169282" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pedal Joe’s contact in South Africa:<br />+27-716381332</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The environmentalist and photographer José Geraldo de Souza Castro, alias Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal), 52 years old, who, on the 10th of May of 2008, in a tiny children's pedal go-cart, built and adapted specially for the trip by the Dutch company BERG Toys, pedaled slowly away from the giant structure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, crossing Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benim, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Congolese Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia and, finally, arrived in South Africa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe completed today, in the city of Bloemhof (300 km west of Johannesburg) 17.000 km. Pedal joe reached Wolmaransstad at sunset and will take off tomorrow, on the N-12 Road, to Klerksdorp and then to Potchefstroom, Carletonville, Randfontein and finally Johannesburg where he hopes to arrive in Melrose Arch on the first of June, at 3 pm.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaKXHeBaqwKR9Ao0X-eIRUIsRURrzEWuZxMFseBISoUS1Jksip0EDmnTJwVi9T4tkhN5-r6_QDHoLm5sWQBmj5fjWepQLm1bPD-OfYE-oUhI1VJVazy7Woh0YNRxgc7ZmUXN2zTWntUY/s1600/DSC_2767.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFaKXHeBaqwKR9Ao0X-eIRUIsRURrzEWuZxMFseBISoUS1Jksip0EDmnTJwVi9T4tkhN5-r6_QDHoLm5sWQBmj5fjWepQLm1bPD-OfYE-oUhI1VJVazy7Woh0YNRxgc7ZmUXN2zTWntUY/s320/DSC_2767.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478916965026310866" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian film makers Bruno Lima and Fabricio Menicucci, in partnership with the producer Abbas Filmes, from Rio de Janeiro, are following the last seven days of the trip, to produce a documentary about Pedal Joe and his special form of travelling. The movie, the first of a series of short films about the pioneer of the Latin American cyclo-adventure, will open in theaters in February 2011.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-31449271537724697032010-05-05T09:11:00.003+01:002010-05-07T11:43:57.925+01:00World Cup 2010: the first Brazilian supporter arrives in South Africa!<a target="blank” onblur=" try="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFuIrc7A_4nBm8NK-iHKv0B0GBdcFgD9vQs8XZJN-ixIVK9Ax706QHaV0VHVeMIRdlqLtUmUpPsC5AIj-pb4NsTf6RW7nMNvWXWY1TEg8_UCHHRlGyPEsaoSBQ1bPLhXAgX43tXm5pl4/s1600/DSC_2709.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTFuIrc7A_4nBm8NK-iHKv0B0GBdcFgD9vQs8XZJN-ixIVK9Ax706QHaV0VHVeMIRdlqLtUmUpPsC5AIj-pb4NsTf6RW7nMNvWXWY1TEg8_UCHHRlGyPEsaoSBQ1bPLhXAgX43tXm5pl4/s320/DSC_2709.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468451995242933746" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pedal Joe’s contact in South Africa:<br />+27-716381332</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian Football Team is ready to board for Johannesburg on the 26th of May to participate, in South Africa, in the first Football World Cup held in the African Continent.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, already in the homeland of Mandela, a lonely Brazilian speeds on towards the same city. He is the environmentalist and photographer José Geraldo de Souza Castro, alias Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal), 52 years old, who, on the 10th of May of 2008, in a tiny children's pedal go-cart, built and adapted specially for the trip by the Dutch company BERG Toys, pedaled slowly away from the giant structure of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, with a final destination: the World Cup of 2010.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After having done, in 2 years, more than 16.000 km crossing France, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benim, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Congolese Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola and Namibia, Pedal Joe arrived in Upington yesterday afternoon and will remain there for two days getting to know the region and participating in activities with the local Lions Club before taking off again, on Road number 2, towards Johannesburg.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe was received in the city by the president of the Gordonia Lions Club, Neville Bosman, and by the members of the club Kobus, Louise, Ansu and Piet Oberholster.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a target="blank” onblur=" try="" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnD0d9SfcWp1LBv_rc9m8s1qIJbVCx9XlHsiUmOrfEKNK3KrgfTs_AOk3Dj9UtIArI1TVOkePS4AiEFgmIeGDGHl5aFirD06fvil_GJgCQUwzE2qoA10b-AgsWdA9DNEQtNg2BJ1FGec/s1600/DSC_2724.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnD0d9SfcWp1LBv_rc9m8s1qIJbVCx9XlHsiUmOrfEKNK3KrgfTs_AOk3Dj9UtIArI1TVOkePS4AiEFgmIeGDGHl5aFirD06fvil_GJgCQUwzE2qoA10b-AgsWdA9DNEQtNg2BJ1FGec/s320/DSC_2724.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468476454453197522" /></a><br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-20670228429326502452010-01-20T14:16:00.006+00:002010-05-07T09:10:55.880+01:002010/01/20: Brazilian starts the last leg of his trip Paris-Johannesburg on a pedal kart<a target="”blank”" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-0sB_RT3BmtUP7Fv0cb-2I1BeJ_EkrPelkyhPe8VHvSJr3jEfkWci6sS0nf650HShrdLTpig8mykDEbdmOGzfQBmoj7ewoG2ReVzgqiIIEeHsvOLGK1ywf19FpVlrYaCNFiJKMIsiJYB/s1600-h/MAPA_VIAGEM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 290px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0-0sB_RT3BmtUP7Fv0cb-2I1BeJ_EkrPelkyhPe8VHvSJr3jEfkWci6sS0nf650HShrdLTpig8mykDEbdmOGzfQBmoj7ewoG2ReVzgqiIIEeHsvOLGK1ywf19FpVlrYaCNFiJKMIsiJYB/s320/MAPA_VIAGEM.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429955639444919794" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Pedal Joe’s contact in Angola until 25 February:<br />+244-935395995</span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Luanda – José Geraldo de Souza Castro, 52, a native of Viçosa, Minas Gerais (Brazil), better known as “Zé do Pedal” (“Pedal Joe”), will leave next Friday (the 22nd) from Luanda, the capital of Angola, bound for South Africa on the last leg of his trip from Paris to Johannesburg riding a pedal “Go-Kart” (children's tricycle), which can attain a top speed of 10 km/hour.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pedal go-kart that is being used was manufactured specially for the trip by the Dutch company <a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe remained in this city during one week, with the logistical support of the Brazilian Embassy, in order for him to be able to renew his transit visa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The last leg of this trip is of approximately 3500 kms, and Pedal Joe will visit Namíbia and Botswana before reaching South Africa. It is a leg with some physical difficulties, principally due to the mountainous terrain in Angola and Namíbia. The Kalahari Desert between Namíbia and Botswana is another difficulty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="”blank”" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkRrTNt6oqSJ0NN7uwzVVZLdunBfbEWX8qW6gp3N2b8HRDFh5lzaBoIsP3XmHwkL-hXin1qx9alufLv-f4CYybaRy3CO_h4bBjYxweCAgNvSAzCVmRHc2N0dz8xuA7-6nq4pYB267Pd8p/s1600-h/montanhas+de+Angola.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkRrTNt6oqSJ0NN7uwzVVZLdunBfbEWX8qW6gp3N2b8HRDFh5lzaBoIsP3XmHwkL-hXin1qx9alufLv-f4CYybaRy3CO_h4bBjYxweCAgNvSAzCVmRHc2N0dz8xuA7-6nq4pYB267Pd8p/s320/montanhas+de+Angola.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429984834430135506" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">A photographer and tourism professional, Pedal Joe said that his interest for adventures using bicycles began in 1982 when he began his first trip, from Brazil to Spain, and there followed another adventure, which lasted 4 years and took him through over 56 countries.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A member of the International Lions Club, recognized by the UN as the largest Non -Governmental Organization in the World, Pedal Joe thinks that several countries of the world, principally African and Latin-American, should orientate the education sectors to include primary health care in the respective curricula.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="”blank”" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLTu3T1TuQaqDi3W71Fq8omjcJflAVR95vlqm94etqanNPtj1raaSztjpcIOv1GspaM9Dz6bOcictazWs9NPhRCE7WdhWLBZ373zUL9gtalUxhmL9ZMEi_RSYU970GfGYTIJ07NdKDFga/s1600-h/ze+do+pedal+foto+escola.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdLTu3T1TuQaqDi3W71Fq8omjcJflAVR95vlqm94etqanNPtj1raaSztjpcIOv1GspaM9Dz6bOcictazWs9NPhRCE7WdhWLBZ373zUL9gtalUxhmL9ZMEi_RSYU970GfGYTIJ07NdKDFga/s320/ze+do+pedal+foto+escola.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429987661094081586" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">“With my messages on the necessity of prevention and combat congenital blindness (cataract, glaucoma and Onchocercosis - river blindness), I am doing my part. However I believe that a little political will in this aspect would go a long way in resolving a great part of the problems related to health in the less favored countries. If the teachers were instructed by the ministries of health of all countries with a basic understanding of health care, especially on how to treat the water before consuming it, at least 40 percent of the diseases would be avoided”, says Joe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="”blank”" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNEa0NjNhauRB3wyHC4noAqi-wsg0FJeL5yczrldAX0eDXH872EJGZHOlYd8J2mi-cbi45V4E63uIhKvvS6-YV7Nj0hYwuWF8OGvXhi0bko3vGzsSDSQQUSX0tUjzpBbXZqDuycriQPIl/s1600-h/Angola+lembrancas+de+guerra.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSNEa0NjNhauRB3wyHC4noAqi-wsg0FJeL5yczrldAX0eDXH872EJGZHOlYd8J2mi-cbi45V4E63uIhKvvS6-YV7Nj0hYwuWF8OGvXhi0bko3vGzsSDSQQUSX0tUjzpBbXZqDuycriQPIl/s320/Angola+lembrancas+de+guerra.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429985848044326594" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe admitted to have gone through enormous difficulties during these adventures, mainly due to the fact that potential sponsors alleged an uncommon risk to life and to the stress of great distances that he is subjected to while riding his bicycles. “When I finally will arrive in South Africa I do not know how I am going to enter the stadiums to assist to the games Brazil is participating in, and when the World Cup is over I do not know how I am going to return to Brazil. I am trying to get more sponsorships, but it is rather difficult” he commented, before indicating that he had already in the past used eight bicycles, three children's tricycles, three pedal boats, one of which made from 240 plastic bottles, used in the crossing of Guanabara Bay (Rio de Janeiro, October 2007), a distance of 15 km, to demand the application of Kyoto Protocol about the defense and preservation of the environment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides France, from where he left on the 10th of May 2008, Pedal Joe crossed Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo until he reached Luanda (Angola), a distance of more than 13.500 kms.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Luanda, he will head for the cities of Benguela, Lubango and Santa Clara, and then on to Botswana and South Africa, where he hopes to be present and cheer for Brazil at the World Cup in June of 2010.</div><br /><div>According to the cyclist, his arrival in South Africa will end the last leg begun in the city of Luanda.</div><div><br /></div><div>The previous stages were: Paris/Dakar (1st), Dakar/Lagos (2nd) and Lagos/Luanda (3rd).</div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-36252650797607736822010-01-14T19:07:00.009+00:002010-01-23T17:37:38.436+00:002010/01/14: Brazilian photographer and environmentalist arrives at Luanda, Angola, on a pedal kart, on his way to South Africa 2010<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO52IjfxW53K7xHF5gOiy4YHNGUpgdZrEXNoSuCloy_gepYhSklP3N9Mk_iECinIO42ENJ87VPZAWD4EYuZk-vbHOG-vNumiUraUr1zv469X7Jz0DN35YklHDGqPmtXLkNVtUs64XsvrHu/s1600-h/map_Angola.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 298px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO52IjfxW53K7xHF5gOiy4YHNGUpgdZrEXNoSuCloy_gepYhSklP3N9Mk_iECinIO42ENJ87VPZAWD4EYuZk-vbHOG-vNumiUraUr1zv469X7Jz0DN35YklHDGqPmtXLkNVtUs64XsvrHu/s320/map_Angola.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427039299780654354" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Joe's contact in Angola:<br />+244-935395995</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><b><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/lci-foundation/supporting-our-work/make-a-donation/lions-lcif-online-donation.php">Lions Clubs International Foundation-Haiti Relief-Donations</a></b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><b><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/news-and-events/newsroom/release-96.php">Lions Clubs International Foundation-Providing Relief for Haiti</a></b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Angolan football selection enters the field next Saturday, the assistance will have an extra pair of hands ready to cheer. It is the Brazilian cyclist, environmentalist and photographer, José Geraldo de Souza Castro, Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), 52, member of the Lions Clube of Viçosa, District LC12, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, who arrived in Luanda, the capital of Angola, finishing thus the third stage of his voyage in a pedal go-kart manufactured in Holland by the company BERG Toys (<a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">http://www.bergtoys.com</a>) and prepared specially for the trip to South Africa, where he will assist to the first Football World Cup on the African continent, "South Africa 2010".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe, who reached Luanda 20 days later than planned due to a second bout of malaria (luckily less strong than the first one) and having twisted his right ankle, due to the long walks through gravel roads, was received in this capital by the Business Delegate of the Brazilian Embassy, Fabiana Moreira, who is helping the environmentalist to renew his transit permit in Angola.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since the start of his trip (a total of 17.000 kms), in Paris, on the 10th of May, 2008, Pedal Joe has already pedaled 13.500 kms, passing through: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Gabon, the Congolese Republic, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and finally Angola. From here, Pedal Joe will visit Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, in a journey of 3.500 kms that will have its final day on the first of June of 2010 in the city of Johannesburg.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pedal Go-Kart that is being used was based on the model BERG X-plorer X-treme, equipped with high durability tires, a polyethylene rim, reinforced transmission train, tortion bar, steel frame, disk brakes on the rear wheels, 7 speed gearbox, head lights, anatomical seat, Saint Anthony, anti-theft system, LED lights, solar panel, rear-view mirrors, and odometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the cyclist, the third stage of the trip, Lagos-Luanda, “ was the most difficult of all, principally due to political instability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that is going through a civil war started in the middle of 2008. The government of the Rep. Dem. of the Congo offered, through our embassy in Kinshasa, an escort to cross the country, but the cost was very high and I took the decision to face the almost 300 kilometers that separate the capital from Sangololo on my own”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnDdLt_Zso4mdwAUDdn-oZ9lFL7lHpdh5NA43n7ObmVBv9gCPokYzAFUvQruXiXsALtYKEsTot76uWo5o9Na_rJ2YeE0w9Mjdi5f_a9PmLNhJMZ901ZhtVYpARW4jHa-aR16PyS4sgZkc/s1600-h/ze_photo2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLnDdLt_Zso4mdwAUDdn-oZ9lFL7lHpdh5NA43n7ObmVBv9gCPokYzAFUvQruXiXsALtYKEsTot76uWo5o9Na_rJ2YeE0w9Mjdi5f_a9PmLNhJMZ901ZhtVYpARW4jHa-aR16PyS4sgZkc/s320/ze_photo2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427035519951736770" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The passage through one of the most beautiful countries of West Africa, Nigeria, also was difficult. “ When I was still in Lagos, confrontations between the police and members of the radical Islamic group Boko Haram (an Islamic radical sect pro-taliban in the States of Bauchi and of Yobe) propagated through the whole northern region of the country, in the most brutish episode of religious violence in the country since November 2008. The armed confrontation left more than 300 dead and ended only after the summary execution of the leader of the movement, Mohammed Yusuf ”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The robberies on the roads are a constant threat, and Pedal Joe suffered robbery attempts. “The first time, local inhabitants who were passing in a mini-van realized that something was wrong and stopped. The second, a police car was passing by at that moment and I was able to ask for help”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXsQO3lLmx1MZCMRazWKQQnkGLPsHGFlzpj7JPFmrgqPdlAeGspRtuD9TEjccHI7E1Ca0iSUUtKB4bF8Vhca01viaprcsI76jwUX7ufE-Impt0Wd34S7PbZqMWW8P15O1HGs8HEr9Jvrv/s1600-h/catalogo+BERG+1.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXsQO3lLmx1MZCMRazWKQQnkGLPsHGFlzpj7JPFmrgqPdlAeGspRtuD9TEjccHI7E1Ca0iSUUtKB4bF8Vhca01viaprcsI76jwUX7ufE-Impt0Wd34S7PbZqMWW8P15O1HGs8HEr9Jvrv/s320/catalogo+BERG+1.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427077105450610802" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe will stay in Luanda for one more week in order to resolve the problem of his stay in the country. “There are still more than a thousand kilometers in Angolan territory to go through and my permit is for only 16 days more. While the residency permit is not resolved, the cyclist will be in attendance at the Stadium on the 11th of November cheering the Angolan team in its participation in the African Nations' Cup, the principal football competition of the African Confederation of Football and of the African continent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Tk6xlQHVFEM7J1GF9RjiYlP1vuXDymVi_dUXtplqq8u0FyOsUpmcdWLlJw07kk8E9ObPJJmVqZ9HTvuoHwD2fSdYWLWWQnLAh52Lyec985YlyYRch8X1K5fYvPQpFRQUCA8ID9O_n9Bi/s1600-h/catalogo+BERG+2.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Tk6xlQHVFEM7J1GF9RjiYlP1vuXDymVi_dUXtplqq8u0FyOsUpmcdWLlJw07kk8E9ObPJJmVqZ9HTvuoHwD2fSdYWLWWQnLAh52Lyec985YlyYRch8X1K5fYvPQpFRQUCA8ID9O_n9Bi/s320/catalogo+BERG+2.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427079527017095458" border="0" /></a><br />After leaving Angola, Pedal Joe, who has already finished more than 80% of the trip, will pedal in the direction of Namíbia, Botswana and, finally, South Africa, where he intends to arrive, in the city of Joanesburgo, on the first of June of this year.<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the environmentalist, the objective of the trip is to focus the attention of the international community on two of the biggest problems that affect the vision of children in the world, especially in the poorest countries: Cataracts and Glaucoma, and to get funds for the great campaign of the International Lions Club: the program Sight First.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The work of the International Lions Clubs to fight blindness began in 1925, when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "champions of the blind in a crusade against the darkness" during the International Convention of the association. Today, the Lions are recognized around the world by the services that are being dispensed to the blind and visually impaired.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lions demonstrate this promise of preserving eye sight through the recycling of glasses, of partnerships with eye organizations and of countless other services related eye sight. The SightFirst I program was launched by the Lions in 1989 to fight preventable blindness. Regrettably, 80% of blind persons, world-wide, were unnecessarily deprived of eye sight. Through SightFirst I, the Lions have been acting towards the prevention of blindness offering support for cataract surgeries, helping to build or to expand clinics and eye hospitals, distributing eye disease preventive medicines and training ophtalmology professionals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55mYcUVX3TIDC5QXu1roST3xPtroTYOgUJHQ8ERgg-4D2xZPXsjH9jj9fjyrNLvNy_K69LvwNjXZeC_1FG16TDyNwWDn26YOnNBB9m4RWT9aR9o5NAFoY7wJEOx79CFQXokT7VAvH4ken/s1600-h/inocencia.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg55mYcUVX3TIDC5QXu1roST3xPtroTYOgUJHQ8ERgg-4D2xZPXsjH9jj9fjyrNLvNy_K69LvwNjXZeC_1FG16TDyNwWDn26YOnNBB9m4RWT9aR9o5NAFoY7wJEOx79CFQXokT7VAvH4ken/s320/inocencia.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5429990034151995618" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">Nevertheless, it is not only the problems of vision that receive the attention of the Club of Service. The great world catastrophes, like the Tsunami, for example, are also part of the help objectives of the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF), and have already mobilized to help the Haitian people mitigate a little the pain issued from the earthquake that devastated their country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The direction of the International Lions Club, with headquarters in Oak Brooks, United States, is in contact with the Lions in Haiti, as well as the Lions in nearby countries of Latin America, to evaluate the situation and to determine the immediate necessities and how Lions and LCIF can better help. The LCIF already granted an immediate support of 50.000 dollars though its program “Major Catastophe Grant” in helping with the immediate necessities of the victims of the devastating earthquake (7.0 in the Richter scale) that the island suffered on Tuesday night, January 12, when the greater part of the capital, Port-au-Prince, was destroyed. It is estimated that 3 million people, almost a third of the population of the country, have been affected by the earthquake and the exact number of victims is not known at present as the search efforts continue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Whoever wishes to help the Haitian Lions and Lions Clubs International Foundation to respond to this catastrophe, can participate with a donation citing the "LCIF Haiti Earthquake Relief". It is only necessary to get in touch with any Lions, of any city or country, and make your donation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If you are having difficulties locating a Lions Clube near your residence, you can get in touch with Pedal Joe (<a href="mailto:zedopedal@gmail.com">zedopedal@gmail.com</a>) who will be happy to point you to the right contacts.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe's trips and social projects (so far):</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1981/82</b> Brazil-Spain on a bicycle</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1983/86</b> World Tour on a bicycle – Campaign for Cancer</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1985</b> Crossed Japan on a Velocipede – Campaign for Ethiopia's children</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1987</b> Chui-Brasilia on a Velocipede - Campaign for Brazil's North~East region's children</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>1996</b> South America on a Motorcycle</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2002</b> Rio São Francisco on a pedal boat (from Tres Marias to Pontal do Peba) - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the São Francisco river</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2004/05</b> New York-Dzilan de Bravo (Mexico) on a pedal boat. 10.000kms - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the water on the Planet</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2007</b> He crosses Guanabara Bay on a boat made with 240 Pet bottles - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of Guanabara Bay</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2007</b> Piracicaba-Borborema (Rio Tiete) on a boat made with 240 Pet bottles - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the Tiete - Parana rivers</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>2008/10</b> Paris-Johannesburg on a Pedal-Kart - Campaign of awareness about Glaucoma and Cataract and to spread the word about the SightFirst Program of the Lions International Club. Start: Paris, 10th of May 2008. End: Johannesburg, June 1st 2010. Actual position: Luanda, Angola. Total distance: 17.000 kms. Already travelled: 13.500 kms. Still to go: 3.500 kms. Visited countries: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Angola. Still to be visited: Namibia, Bostwana and South Africa, just in time to attend the first Soccer World Cup to be held on the African continent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div></div></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-32792990509628848072009-12-20T21:26:00.001+00:002010-01-15T21:32:42.010+00:002009/12/20 Happy Christmas!: Less than 5.000 kms... to arrive in Johannesburg<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju65qcV6AefLNGHrmOTrn8-RVW-KtoBmnZJH4MXhsOu5NBG9zlUc2MQKcIjZIbUzqHBInq5xpRE7FQSeFB9rJw72Ge9LH0o1TYr5FaVNyaf-U92TnYbqCkvJO0I8lRKNfCX46DCoEtlIFw/s1600-h/feliznatal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju65qcV6AefLNGHrmOTrn8-RVW-KtoBmnZJH4MXhsOu5NBG9zlUc2MQKcIjZIbUzqHBInq5xpRE7FQSeFB9rJw72Ge9LH0o1TYr5FaVNyaf-U92TnYbqCkvJO0I8lRKNfCX46DCoEtlIFw/s320/feliznatal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427076362529289330" border="0" /></a><br />Less than 5.000 kms... a little more than 5 months to arrive at Johannesburg.<br /><br />Or: around 1.000 kms per month. We will (me with my turns of pedal and you with your help) succeed.<br /><br />Happy Christmas !<br /><br />Pedal JoeJosé Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-38683091723115483772009-09-27T13:41:00.011+01:002010-01-15T20:31:49.519+00:002009/09/27: Brazilian photographer and environmentalist arrives in Cameroon on a pedal kart, on his way to South Africa<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-LHZAsOWTpcMztxZ0AITscG5loF_kFnhgeDgGJPLz_pFk91x13QB7J49BpEjTTTQU3CozadcgnPNKlbR3hrWSoy_ayo7_YD4hLmLeAbkmDPmMOVj5AAYZaygSmrVkfj4CzCFi5-NmAFI/s1600-h/map_Cameroon.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 297px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA-LHZAsOWTpcMztxZ0AITscG5loF_kFnhgeDgGJPLz_pFk91x13QB7J49BpEjTTTQU3CozadcgnPNKlbR3hrWSoy_ayo7_YD4hLmLeAbkmDPmMOVj5AAYZaygSmrVkfj4CzCFi5-NmAFI/s320/map_Cameroon.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386109542210197762" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Joe's contact in the Republic of Cameroon:<br />+237-79441396</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">After visiting 12 countries of Europe and West Africa, pedaling during 2.000 hours and 11.300 kms in a pedal go-cart (produced by the Dutch company <a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">Berg Toys</a>) from Paris to Johannesburg, the cyclist, environmentalist and Brazilian photographer José Geraldo de Souza Castro (Zé do Pedal — Pedal Joe), 52, arrived in Central Africa in his first leg of the third stage of his trip bound for the homeland of Mandela where he hopes to be present at the first Football World Cup in the African Continent, in 2010.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Pedal Joe was received in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, where he arrived under a strong tropical rain, by the Brazilian Ambassador in this city, Orlando Galveas and other members of the diplomatic corps.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxn3RSTmTaJxkCUI_fyOYSETPa6Z3bxGd3hyphenhyphenrbJFLsscDiOkvrC2RKE_fB5hi3wb9B9jrpH_hC4hm1_ELAzj929ZTolq-OixeAa0AU5QKTBWM5Cf6QUccC3BeDiNef5bsrLBufUwR_GQLj/s1600-h/DSC_0127.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxn3RSTmTaJxkCUI_fyOYSETPa6Z3bxGd3hyphenhyphenrbJFLsscDiOkvrC2RKE_fB5hi3wb9B9jrpH_hC4hm1_ELAzj929ZTolq-OixeAa0AU5QKTBWM5Cf6QUccC3BeDiNef5bsrLBufUwR_GQLj/s320/DSC_0127.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386114364061376658" border="0" /></a><br />Since the start of the trip (a total of 17.000 kms), in Paris, on the 10th of May, 2008, Pedal Joe already went through 11.300 kms: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and finally, Nigeria and Cameroon. From here, Pedal Joe goes on towards Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Congolese Democratic Republic, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, in a journey of 5.700kms that will have its final day on the first of June, 2010, in the city of Johannesburg.<br /><br />The pedal Go-Kart that is being used was based on the model BERG X-plorer X-treme, equipped with high durability tires, a polyethylene rim, reinforced transmission train, tortion bar, steel frame, disk brakes on the rear wheels, 7 speed gearbox, head lights, anatomical seat, Saint Anthony, anti-theft system, LED lights, solar panel, rear-view mirrors, and odometer.<br /><br />According to the cyclist, the time from Lagos up to departing from Nigeria was the most difficult of all and he lamented the lack of security in the country. “It was difficult and stressful passing through one of the most beautiful countries of West Africa. When I was still in Lagos, confrontations between the police forces and members of the radical Islamic group Boko Haram (an Islamic radical pro-taliban sect in the States of Bauchi and Yobe) and propagated through the whole northern region of the country, it being the most brutish episode of religious violence in the country since November 2008, when more than 700 persons inside and around Jos died.”<br /><br />The armed confrontation left a toll of more than 300 dead and only ended after the summary execution of the leader of the movement, Mohammed Yusuf.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Another great preoccupation of the cyclist while in Nigeria was the fear of being abducted, principally after passing the bridge on the river Niger and entering the state of the Delta, where extremist groups opposed to the exploration of oil by and for western conglomerates use abduction to intimidate (and to ask for huge sums of money for the purchase of arms and maintenance of the troops). The robberies on the roads are also a constant threat, and Pedal Joe was subbject to two attempts. “The first time, locals that were passing by in a mini-van realized that something was amiss and stopped. The second, a police car was passing in the neighborhood at that moment and I was able to ask for help.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />After crossing Central Africa, Pedal Joe intends to have a short pause in Angola, to assist to the African Nations' Cup, the main football competition on the African continent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWjMXTWqpXXcZsImtAxMrB48Motv_B1ZFWS8fefFuMx8uOxBm7RaUXOUXFFSW9Njdoauv44NRu2-pca2wnN28ohPr7vnBUbC99kxOsyJQdCUZ4JsIRW4W8P0uM3uJUBVkSbOuEz3QwvQm/s1600-h/aero.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOWjMXTWqpXXcZsImtAxMrB48Motv_B1ZFWS8fefFuMx8uOxBm7RaUXOUXFFSW9Njdoauv44NRu2-pca2wnN28ohPr7vnBUbC99kxOsyJQdCUZ4JsIRW4W8P0uM3uJUBVkSbOuEz3QwvQm/s320/aero.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386115271812864386" border="0" /></a><br /><br />According to the environmentalist, the objective of the trip is to focus the attention of the international community on two of the biggest problems that affect the vision of children in the world, especially in the poorest countries: Cataracts and Glaucoma, and to get funds for the great campaign of the International Lions Club: the program <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/lci-foundation/our-programs/sightfirst/index.php">SightFirst</a>, launched by the club in 1989. (Pedal Joe is a member of the Lions Clube of Vicosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">To know more...</span><br /><br />GLAUCOMA: a disease whose principal characteristic is the progressive loss of the visual field associated with an atrophy, also progressive, of the optical nerve. These symptoms can be, or not, associated with an increase of the intra-ocular pressure. Besides, the patient can suffer, or not, ocular pain. When there is no ocular pain, most patients only realize that there is something amiss in his or her vision when the disease is already advanced. The causes of glaucoma are varied, but the commonest is when there is an increase in the production of the aqueous fluid or a difficulty in its drainage. Depending on when the disease is detected, and how advanced it is, the treatment can include medicines, laser, or surgery.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />CATARACT: A cataract is a clouding that develops in the crystalline lens of the eye or in its envelope, varying in degree from slight to complete opacity and obstructing the passage of light. Early in the development of age-related cataract the power of the lens may be increased, causing near-sightedness (myopia), and the gradual yellowing and opacification of the lens may reduce the perception of blue colours. Cataracts typically progress slowly to cause vision loss and are potentially blinding if untreated. The condition usually affects both eyes, but almost always one eye is affected earlier than the other. There are also countless other causes that can cause cataracts to appear before old age, for example traumas and metabolic diseases. In the beginning, one can try to improve the vision of the patient with prescription glasses, but there is going to be a time when the patient will lack useful vision, even with glasses, and surgery has to be prescribed. Surgery then consists in removing the opaque crystalline lens and substitute it for an intra-ocular lens. Some patients, even after surgery, still need to wear glasses.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-25263333336891350522009-07-26T19:21:00.027+01:002009-09-28T23:15:53.151+01:0009/07/26: In a child's Go-Kart, Pedal Joe completes 10.000 kms bound for "South Africa 2010"<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStm7s8ep11UP6oNen60MHU8nckUtQnApY0GlyWUTBY0f7vG0r3dT2Da2lwodxbSvTL0OGhxi0u3X2rORrCdnkzmj9js-76sC-OiKnoOf4uVc7hB9HAdYl9FWcJr3dJ4OHzXD1dBu-6Xg/s1600-h/map_Nigeria.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 302px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgStm7s8ep11UP6oNen60MHU8nckUtQnApY0GlyWUTBY0f7vG0r3dT2Da2lwodxbSvTL0OGhxi0u3X2rORrCdnkzmj9js-76sC-OiKnoOf4uVc7hB9HAdYl9FWcJr3dJ4OHzXD1dBu-6Xg/s320/map_Nigeria.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363210726776937618" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center; "><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Joe's contact in the Federal Republic of Nigeria:<br />+234-7067542817</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian cyclist, environmentalist and photographer, José Geraldo de Souza Castro, Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), 52, member of the Lions Clube of Viçosa, District LC12, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, reached today Lagos, the business capital of Nigeria, finishing thus the second stage of his voyage in a pedal go-kart manufactured in Holland by the company BERG Toys (<a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">http://www.bergtoys.com</a>) and prepared specially for the trip to South Africa, where he will assist to the first Football World Cup in the African continent, "South Africa 2010".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since the start of his trip (a total of 17.000 kms), in Paris, on the 10th of May, 2008, Pedal Joe has already pedalled 10.000 kms, passing through: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and finally, Nigeria. From here, Pedal Joe will visit Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, in a journey of 7.000 kms that will have its final day on the first of June of 2010 in the city of Johannesburg.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pedal Go-Kart that is being used was based on the model BERG X-plorer X-treme, equipped with high durability tires, a polyethylene rim, reinforced transmission train, tortion bar, steel frame, disk brakes on the rear wheels, 7 speed gearbox, head lights, anatomical seat, Saint Anthony, anti-theft system, LED lights, solar panel, rear-view mirrors, and odometer.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the cyclist, the second stage of the trip, Dakar-Lagos, “was a little more difficult, and complicated, than the first one (Paris-Dakar): First, in Senegal, I caught almost 300 kms of dirt roads, where I could only manage to advance approximately 30 kms per day... 12 days eating dust and spitting brick! Arriving at Kayes, in Mali, I caught, during one week, temperatures of up to 45 degrees. The high temperatures were a constant during practically the entire time that I took to cross Mali. While arriving in Ivory Coast, I passed over a zone controlled by the rebellious militia of that country, where there do not exist any laws. In other words: orders who can and obeys who has any judgement. Already following the Atlantic coast, began the (already predicted) rain season, with constant downpours at least 5 days during the week... and with the rain, came also the mosquitoes... in throves! and, after arriving at Accra, capital of Ghana, while the Brazilian selection was vibrating with each victory in the Confederations' Cup, I was turning and turning in the bed victim of Malaria. Thanks to the decisive and important support of Kwane, member of the Lions Clube of Tema, Ghana, and the Brazilian Embassy in Accra, that provided financial support to buy the medicines, I could rehabilitate myself and continue the trip. Also important was the support of the Publisher of the magazine Abidjan Planet, who invited me for one week at his home, while I was doing a complete revision and some adjustments in the Go-Kart. The stop over served also to recover part of the 6 kilograms that I had lost due to the strong heat in Mali”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While beginning next Monday the third stage of the trip (Lagos-Luanda), Pedal Joe will be counting also the days for his aperitif at the World Cup "South Africa 2010". He hopes to assist, in Angola, to the African Cup of Nations, the principal competition of football of the African Confederation of Football and of the African continent. It happens every two years since 1968, and will, between the 10th and the 31st of January of 2010, be held in that country.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However, before seeing the ball rolling in Angolan lands, Pedal Joe must face some mountains and more than 1.000 kms of dirt roads, which cut the dense forests of Equatorial Africa. “Of course, passing through virgin forests is somewhat frightening. Luckily, the rainy season must already have passed, and I will only have to worry about the holes, the excess of dust and, clearly, about an encounter of the third kind with some wild animal. But this is the only way, there is no other, and I am ready to face it. I have already done more than 60% of the trip and to reach Luanda, and then Johannesburg, is only a question of patience and perseverance”.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the environmentalist, the objective of the trip is to focus the attention of the international community on two of the biggest problems that affect the vision of children in the world, especially in the poorest countries: Cataracts and Glaucoma, and to get funds for the great campaign of the International Lions Club: the program Sight First.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The work of the International Lions Clubs to fight blindness began in 1925, when Helen Keller challenged the Lions to become "champions of the blind in a crusade against the darkness" during the International Convention of the association. Today, the Lions are recognized around the world by the services that are being dispensed to the blind and visually impaired. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lions demonstrate this promise of preserving eye sight through the recycling of glasses, of partnerships with eye organizations and of countless other services related eye sight. The SightFirst I program was launched by the Lions in 1989 to fight preventable blindness. Regrettably, 80% of blind persons, world-wide, were unnecessarily deprived of eye sight. Through SightFirst I, the Lions have been acting towards the prevention of blindness offering support for cataract surgeries, helping to build or to expand clinics and eye hospitals, distributing eye disease preventive medicines and training ophtalmology professionals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The ambitious Program SightFirst I of the Lions restored eye sight through cataract surgeries, prevented the severe loss of eye sight and perfected eye care services dispensed to hundreds of millions of adults and children. To continue and to expand this initiative, the Lions launched the Campaign SightFirst II. Each year, hundreds of Lions Clubs around the world carry out eye examinations, programs of community education, collection of glasses and other special projects to mark the Lions World Sight Day, which takes place on October 11th. The Lions World Sight Day was created in 1998 to underline the importance of eradicating preventable blindness and improving eye sight. A growing number of Lions Clubes uses the opportunity to collect glasses, to carry out eye diseases and diabetes screenings and to plan education programs designed to promote the awareness of the community about the importance of eye sight and the impact that diseases such as diabetes have on it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">SightFirst became not only surprisingly proficient, but also amazingly efficient. On average, each US$ 6 in donations result in a person with restored eye sight or prevented from becoming blind. The Campaign SightFirst collected US$ 143 millions from the Lions. The program SightFirst is helping specially the children. In partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), the SightFirst campaign launched the first global initiative to combat child blindness. The project is creating 30 pediatric eye service centres around the world.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Campaign SightFirst II, which collected more than US$ 200 million around the world, will allow the Lions to expand on the extraordinary work of SightFirst I and to continue it's work of preventing of blindness and of restoring eye sight to million persons world-wide.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>About the Lions Clubs:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The International Association of Lions Clubs began as the dream of Chicago business leader Melvin Jones.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He believed that local business clubs should expand their horizons from purely professional concerns to the betterment of their communities and the world at large. Jones’ group, the Business Circle of Chicago, agreed. After contacting similar groups around the United States, an</div><div style="text-align: justify;">organizational meeting was held on June 7, 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. The new group took the name of one of the invited groups, the “Association of Lions Clubs”, and a national convention was held in Dallas, Texas, USA, in October of that year. A constitution, by-laws, objectives and code of ethics were approved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Among the objectives adopted in those early years was one that read, “No club shall hold out the financial betterment of its members as its object.” This call for unselfish service to others remains one of the association’s main tenets. Just three years after its formation, the association became international when the first club in Canada was established in 1920. Major international expansion continued as clubs were established, particularly throughout Europe, Asia and Africa during the 1950s and ’60s.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions international convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, USA. She challenged Lions to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” From this time forward, Lions clubs have been actively involved in service to the blind and visually impaired.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Broadening its international role, Lions Clubs International helped the United Nations form the Non-Governmental Organizations sections in 1945 and continues to hold consultative status with the U.N.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 1990, Lions launched its most aggressive sight preservation effort, SightFirst. The US$215 million program strives to rid the world of preventable and reversible blindness by supporting desperately needed health care services. Lions have launched Campaign SightFirst II to raise at least US$150 million to continue and expand the extraordinary work of SightFirst.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In addition to sight programs, Lions Clubs International is committed to providing services for youth. Lions clubs also work to improve the environment, build homes for the disabled, support diabetes education, conduct hearing programs and, through their foundation, provide</div><div style="text-align: justify;">disaster relief around the world. Lions Clubs International has grown to include 1.3 million men and women in 45,000 clubs located in 205 countries and geographic areas.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>140.000 kms of pedal turns around the world:</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The story of Pedal Joe begins on November 1981, when he decided to travel from Brazil to Spain, on a bicycle, to assist at the Football World Cup “Spain '82”, where the Brazilian Selection was not very lucky... and, on a grey afternoon, in the city of Barcelona, Brazil fell at the feet of Italy, saying goodbye to the "Tetracampeonato" dream. On board the transatlantic liner that took him back to Rio de Janeiro, Pedal Joe was dreaming about a bicycle tour of the World. Well, from then on, he did not stop. From that long gone-by November until today, he visited 66 countries in 5 continents, "pedalled" 144.000 kms, assisted to two Football World Cups, was caught in two civil wars, faced monsoon rains, earthquakes, and survived 5 hurricanes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He won a marathon, in Lima, Peru. He visited idyllic islands and came to know the suffering of children and adults in refugee camps of the Vietnam war. An absurd war, that in the end only left destruction and death. He experienced drought, the hunger and the misery of the people of Africa and of the north-east of Brazil. He saw the smiles of the children playing by the riverside of the “Old Man Chico” (the river São Francisco) and the tears in the eyes of the riverside dweller looking at the dried-up riverbed. He visited places that marked history: the Twin Towers, the Egyptian Pyramids, the Parthenon of Athens, the Eiffel Tower, the Taj Mahal, the bridge on the River Kwai-Ai, the Tower of Pisa, and so many others. In the end, his travels represented an open book about geography, history and, above all, life.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Pedal Joe's trips and social projects (so far):</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />1981/82 Brazil-Spain on a bicycle<br />1983/86 World Tour on a bicycle – Campaign for Cancer</div><div style="text-align: justify;">1985 Crossed Japan on a Velocipede – Campaign for Ethiopia's children<br />1987 Chui-Brasilia on a Velocipede - Campaign for Brazil's North~East region's children<br />1996 South America on a Motorcycle<br />2002 Rio São Francisco on a pedal boat (from Tres Marias to Pontal do Peba) - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the São Francisco river<br />2004/05 New York-Dzilan de Bravo (Mexico) on a pedal boat. 10.000kms - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the water on the Planet<br />2007 He crosses Guanabara Bay on a boat made with 240 Pet bottles - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of Guanabara Bay<br />2007 Piracicaba-Borborema (Rio Tiete) on a boat made with 240 Pet bottles - Campaign of awareness against the pollution of the Tiete - Parana rivers</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />2008/10 Paris-Johannesburg on a Pedal-Kart - Campaign of awareness about Glaucoma and Cataract and to spread the word about the SightFirst Program of the Lions International Club<br />Start: Paris, 10th of May 2008<br />End: Johannesburg, June 1st 2010<br />Actual position: Lagos, Nigeria.<br />Total distance: 17.000 kms<br />Already travelled: 10.000 kms,<br />Still to go: 7.000 kms<br />Visited countries: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria<br />Still to be visited: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Namibia, Bostwana and South Africa, just in time to attend the first Soccer World Cup to be held on the African continent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe thanks BERG Toys, University Photo and Buynet for their support.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-39013034443218664122009-07-15T02:14:00.007+01:002009-07-27T19:20:04.227+01:0015/07/09: Pedal Joe arrives at Cotonou, Republic of Benin<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepAGsD5FfZD12IUHnSLa7vxLHi-2dY312-tkXOOsXpSpSRt8C0ityjV-9jnFx6Tmlk8u-bZ3aCB_wQjXa2bp45IfpFvE4ahawMTBvQYYouQX6DlCqz9E1Loy0lYlc7yYnn9rbCfwdF4Q/s1600-h/map_Benin.png" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 148px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgepAGsD5FfZD12IUHnSLa7vxLHi-2dY312-tkXOOsXpSpSRt8C0ityjV-9jnFx6Tmlk8u-bZ3aCB_wQjXa2bp45IfpFvE4ahawMTBvQYYouQX6DlCqz9E1Loy0lYlc7yYnn9rbCfwdF4Q/s320/map_Benin.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358490247696256258" /></a><br /><div><div style="text-align: center; "><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Joe's contact in Benin:<br />+229-96357970</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; ">Currently Pedal Joe is in Benin (he crossed the Togo-Benin frontier on the 9th of July).</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">He celebrated his birthday (the 15th) in the house of Myleni, with many members of the Lions Club of the city of Cotonou.</div></div><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zD0fWVqH2Ne4blEWPjDl8AhdCt9IpaLzWM1UYMeI-KGSer2YOsIH-E_JC3bTmTi4PQT6Ixc4R_9q5x2a2iJ2y30Tfj1F0qsJiQ7iQ7NSHlWzPRkbS2meUz58yACEYkduaGGsBeO3jjA/s1600-h/2546639589_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8zD0fWVqH2Ne4blEWPjDl8AhdCt9IpaLzWM1UYMeI-KGSer2YOsIH-E_JC3bTmTi4PQT6Ixc4R_9q5x2a2iJ2y30Tfj1F0qsJiQ7iQ7NSHlWzPRkbS2meUz58yACEYkduaGGsBeO3jjA/s320/2546639589_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5363206221861594450" /></a>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-41939051187979323902009-07-06T00:59:00.008+01:002009-07-15T02:45:58.801+01:00Abidjan Planet article about Pedal Joe (July 2009)Please find atached a copy of an article published in <span style="font-weight:bold;">Abidjan Planet</span> this month. (Click on the pictures to view)<br /><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyo5neq1zWbaPbxkP8xOfx-Ik3-jw1UpzuAQFLkd9-GjSLhdiS_RmeE0O-_0vNo-pZWZ3HyHd_AIVrRfPnb3unnGGCBCupvX85_EctAovpcfMiRW2VrUeRHObX5WwUMM_OhEhnO5I0hkA/s1600-h/article+de+abidjan1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyo5neq1zWbaPbxkP8xOfx-Ik3-jw1UpzuAQFLkd9-GjSLhdiS_RmeE0O-_0vNo-pZWZ3HyHd_AIVrRfPnb3unnGGCBCupvX85_EctAovpcfMiRW2VrUeRHObX5WwUMM_OhEhnO5I0hkA/s320/article+de+abidjan1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356245290090646402" /></a><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzad500XDmmxhTlRuTXcE9eV9XVcEu3xMymDhUmuGLLaeCA04UwY9Pjg2eE4jihgBpiwB-POJS1LoVy1y7Bgcwd64_5JSuDV9wpvs1oXg_VT6ApU4U6CgNHsHvSOwBNedw4l3jzKeBQVQ/s1600-h/article+de+abidjan2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzad500XDmmxhTlRuTXcE9eV9XVcEu3xMymDhUmuGLLaeCA04UwY9Pjg2eE4jihgBpiwB-POJS1LoVy1y7Bgcwd64_5JSuDV9wpvs1oXg_VT6ApU4U6CgNHsHvSOwBNedw4l3jzKeBQVQ/s320/article+de+abidjan2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356245665732766226" /></a>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-63259342929153022172009-07-05T22:01:00.010+01:002009-07-15T02:28:39.605+01:0005/07/09: Pedal Joe arrives at Lomé, capital of the Togolese Republic<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBWTyTy0H2QidFAzBVYOaEFhmjpd3_98JEDfqu6Hn8W-dSGpoQIuI44DMms6Wn50-m6rdW7kXW5QiFF0PTDmPjsoJzJ2OImzu3ZhjNx2ed_smGAAXdXFOAlMDDVxNolubdrB8NH_sT0Ir/s1600-h/togo.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 149px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIBWTyTy0H2QidFAzBVYOaEFhmjpd3_98JEDfqu6Hn8W-dSGpoQIuI44DMms6Wn50-m6rdW7kXW5QiFF0PTDmPjsoJzJ2OImzu3ZhjNx2ed_smGAAXdXFOAlMDDVxNolubdrB8NH_sT0Ir/s320/togo.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355412429787394434" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Joe's contact in the Togolese Republic:<br />+228-8719502</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Currently Pedal Joe is in TOGO (since the 3rd of July). He is in much better health, and goes on taking the tablets prescribed for the prevention of malaria. He is still a little tired, not being able to pedal more than a few hours per day. But his forces are coming back…<br /></div><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78h9BD58nGAy3Ht2z8gPyQDQlqYfYr0hHEObaN3q2WvtOZgBxKkDiYRV0AtDMozxKcZHczVC3-onlf7r39LurMzkg0wN_knvandH2etOkOobNhgtd9qOD6ChM7b_ZZkeD-1a97__1v0ph/s1600-h/2530555119_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi78h9BD58nGAy3Ht2z8gPyQDQlqYfYr0hHEObaN3q2WvtOZgBxKkDiYRV0AtDMozxKcZHczVC3-onlf7r39LurMzkg0wN_knvandH2etOkOobNhgtd9qOD6ChM7b_ZZkeD-1a97__1v0ph/s320/2530555119_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355419307856790818" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Zé thanks all those who have prayed for him in this very difficult hour…. he is especially grateful to the CL Past President, Kwame Opoku, without whom, with his decisive and important support, Zé would not be here to tell the tale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwc9_KHp60LWdkiqPyxcOUje7fxZst2ZwKIRpyCmgR0qromiREX0psBuoVyn7e0cc3EMIZzXetJxgHi9KoRGLWaPJKnZE-5ozbPTHOfYZ5HwxYm2qUz_MX8EgwHunGFuBeE4_yeE77mo/s1600-h/2534792893_small_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHwc9_KHp60LWdkiqPyxcOUje7fxZst2ZwKIRpyCmgR0qromiREX0psBuoVyn7e0cc3EMIZzXetJxgHi9KoRGLWaPJKnZE-5ozbPTHOfYZ5HwxYm2qUz_MX8EgwHunGFuBeE4_yeE77mo/s320/2534792893_small_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356254900450311010" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">And to all those who have expressed their solidarity during this very difficult moment for him: "To all of you, angels in my path, a heart felt kiss from this Africa which at once fascinates and scares."</div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe thanks BERG Toys, University Photo and Buynet for their support.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-46853498891740786122009-06-28T22:31:00.015+01:002009-07-10T04:14:40.156+01:0028/06/09: Pedal Joe contracts malaria, on his way to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa<div style="text-align: center;"><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc48a4oD39OVfpjw-UzVgDy_sDWSGag23Wp5EL7xIYUiu0CsfbwgolvjjeH5eTgWOIIDWC-5BcJfZ3R4mWeqqi4Hw41pAWOA3TnL4sMWADi9_k0F7pXXR-vn8_8cEiGXkoq_wJ56Oix5yX/s1600-h/Ghana-map.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 299px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc48a4oD39OVfpjw-UzVgDy_sDWSGag23Wp5EL7xIYUiu0CsfbwgolvjjeH5eTgWOIIDWC-5BcJfZ3R4mWeqqi4Hw41pAWOA3TnL4sMWADi9_k0F7pXXR-vn8_8cEiGXkoq_wJ56Oix5yX/s320/Ghana-map.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355411285289637538" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0); font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Zé's contact in Ghana:<br />+233-542486837</span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">When the Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro, 51, who is making a trip in a pedal go-kart (buit especially for the trip by the dutch company Berg Toys) from Paris to Johannesburg, where he will be present to attend the first World Soccer Cup in the African Continent, in 2010, decided to change the heat of Western Africa for the rain of the coast, he did not imagine the constant tropical rains and gales in his new chosen path. Worse… he did not imagine that he would be bitten by the feared female of the Anopheles mosquito and would become the newest malaria victim! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Pedal Joe run over... by a mosquito!</span><br /><br />Since he has reached the coast, via the Ivory Coast, constant rain fills the environmentalist's day. Last Friday, the 19th, a large storm near Accra, the capital of Ghana, left several dead, homeless, and completely destroyed streets.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0_Le0MF3kFZ388e1f0rlEldrhtkf9zzX8BOYM6SSWSgQbKIfEb7A41WE_m8Q4QKrGpdlKCOPOp9UPKUC39qMFGmn0bkCdDUEzwbs2ZJplUysB8EI5rJfgtcldncY5n8VHxrmTSW-cBAa/s1600-h/2523714971_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH0_Le0MF3kFZ388e1f0rlEldrhtkf9zzX8BOYM6SSWSgQbKIfEb7A41WE_m8Q4QKrGpdlKCOPOp9UPKUC39qMFGmn0bkCdDUEzwbs2ZJplUysB8EI5rJfgtcldncY5n8VHxrmTSW-cBAa/s320/2523714971_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355422225758979346" border="0" /></a><br />As soon as he felt the symptoms of malaria last Monday, the 22nd, Zé immediately started the treatment and now is housed in a hotel in the city of Tema where he is just resting. “In truth I do not know at which exact moment I contracted the illness… on Friday I participated in the aid to the victims of the flood in the locality of Malan, so I thought that the pains in the body and the head had their origin in that one drawn out exposition in rain. But when I was walking and felt the body softening, I took 5 steps in the direction of a place to sit down, had a collapse for maybe 5 seconds, and was certain that I had contracted malaria… I looked for medical assistance immediately and I am already slowly recovering. The diagnosis indicated that I was infected with the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the most lethal of the four species of agents that cause malaria in man”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Pedal Joe, member of the Lions Club of Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil, has been participating in many activities in conjunction with each of the Clubs of the countries that he visits.<br /><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLvR2D9NIzU4VqgqQcOgMb6zUUIhbqKzR7z32Ih1g_rt0_nPCk1tPgQa8GSI9P4Ijw-qilKboyCDskX3oLvHCm8LGzSMeflZRp8-zs00b1dk06aMIf1HeND_0M1JvC02AavMO9s07jKY-/s1600-h/DSC_0340.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikLvR2D9NIzU4VqgqQcOgMb6zUUIhbqKzR7z32Ih1g_rt0_nPCk1tPgQa8GSI9P4Ijw-qilKboyCDskX3oLvHCm8LGzSMeflZRp8-zs00b1dk06aMIf1HeND_0M1JvC02AavMO9s07jKY-/s320/DSC_0340.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355391842607515730" border="0" /></a><br />In Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on the 26th of May, he was received by the members of the Lions Club Calao. In Ghana, on the 8th of June, he joined with the members of the Lions Club “Twin City” of the city of Tacoradi; on the 11th, he was given a reception by the CCLL of the Lions Club Crystal, of the city of Cape Coast. The 12th of June he participated, at the invitation of some members of the Ghanean Lionism, in the inauguration of the “Tema Lions Club Eye Care Center”. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnr4W4iDKwO5Ot0XmEMoJeJrq0NYcSZcgSs-JxVbZZIZCKqPSXhlP5xXJMM02Zv-XSEoFku3yVgNQ8qKLn8WrX7aIAWQ0ZLhYz9y4KgjwDlEGU30vZjLgiwTDP7cn1yMyuwYUgNrMB3o/s1600-h/2534924699_small_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnr4W4iDKwO5Ot0XmEMoJeJrq0NYcSZcgSs-JxVbZZIZCKqPSXhlP5xXJMM02Zv-XSEoFku3yVgNQ8qKLn8WrX7aIAWQ0ZLhYz9y4KgjwDlEGU30vZjLgiwTDP7cn1yMyuwYUgNrMB3o/s320/2534924699_small_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356252699348351954" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The center, which is located inside the installations of the Hospital (the largest in the country) of the city of Tema (35kms to the east of the country's capital, Accra), was inaugurated by the Internacional President Al Brandel during his official visit to Ghana. Present at the inauguration were the members of all Ghana's Clubs, Ghana's Minister of Health, Dr. Sypa-Adjah Yankey, the Archbishop Justice Akrofi, the Ambassador of South Corea, and other municipal authorities.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmtumzFQgWmIghubTNRZVwyklNjfhKCaiOJoNkr6HbBUatZrvC4WTw7jXDJeuY8jc-OK54gh73SxCJMpHxSphpg4DEx2u5G1M0xDusZoRg3dHe36ydc1LotVcyG2P_et2pg_NCkoYz1U/s1600-h/2534639361_small_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmtumzFQgWmIghubTNRZVwyklNjfhKCaiOJoNkr6HbBUatZrvC4WTw7jXDJeuY8jc-OK54gh73SxCJMpHxSphpg4DEx2u5G1M0xDusZoRg3dHe36ydc1LotVcyG2P_et2pg_NCkoYz1U/s320/2534639361_small_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356250647151861650" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>In his intervention, the President of the Lions Club of Tema, Clement Torsutse, informed the assembly that “the Eye Care Center is an answer to the appeal of Hellen Keller, in 1925, to the members of the Lions Clubs to methamorphose themselves into Vision Knights, and today, we are happy to deliver to the community the largest and best equipped Eye Care Center in Western Africa, with an approximated cost of 650.000 dollars”. He also took the opportunity to give special thanks to the Ghanean citizen, native of Korea, Kofi Yim, whose contribution of more than 200,000 dollars allowed to endow the center with ultramodern equipment. He followed with an homage to the korean citizen by presenting him with the title of "Honorary Lion".</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7CEGuN4KxokLmPUwe8MkQoKOaO0mkRLFgHAR9VzMKYXNTnEuveD_OIrF6XjFd5tCZQjr74y2jyHnjEhnIQ_gklIIbtjFEgJVqHRDbdnYHz5rb7NLcZ5vz6oTRt8jAr44MEDtcYKNY8o/s1600-h/2534834331_small_1.jpg" style="text-decoration: none;"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM7CEGuN4KxokLmPUwe8MkQoKOaO0mkRLFgHAR9VzMKYXNTnEuveD_OIrF6XjFd5tCZQjr74y2jyHnjEhnIQ_gklIIbtjFEgJVqHRDbdnYHz5rb7NLcZ5vz6oTRt8jAr44MEDtcYKNY8o/s320/2534834331_small_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356249463617861954" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Invited to speak, Pedal Joe reminded the assembly of the important work that the Lions carry out in the combat against blindness (through the Campaign Sight First) throughout the 4 corners of the World, principally Cataract, Glaucoma and Oncocercosis, which the LCIF has pledged to eradicate in Africa until the year 2020. “The Lions is the largest Non-Governmental Organization in the World, with an outstanding presence in more than 200 countries and regions, with almost 1.5 million members. Each one carrying his own brick for the construction of a better world. It's works like this one that give us the measure that we are on the right path”, emphasized the CL.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />“The construction of the Centre, prepared to receive 1500 patients per week, and with the capacity to carry out 30 operations every day, began to “come out of the paper” with 50 dollar donations from each member of the Ghanean Lionism, and with donations from society at large. The Leo Clube showed its nails and donated bags of cement and eye-catching wall clocks that will adorn the premisses, and will perpetuate the presence of our boys”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />The ceremonial was conducted by CaL Mary Nyarko. CaL Baaba Hudson led the Lions' prayer. Welcoming Words were offered by CL President Clement Torsutse. The musical interval was provided by the CCLL Nana Okuampah and Nana Adei Duah Brempong.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />On Saturday, the 13th, he participated in an event in Accra, coordinated by the CL Willian Sam, Regional President, of the Leaders' Seminar, and last Wednesday, the 24th, he reached Tema where he assisted at the ceremony of endowement of the new directorship.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83v0RaOeMwaiACnME4USly35nWBQk8GQevs3vvRAQ4siTZLAeTzw-4YrJEZ2dM7RY_awsBBvzvZMHabLPZ_SxrZqTEKcNqzTLL0O3V8Gg3OCnLTR2BdIMpEjcZPzxsdRADzhxMAzr1Fo/s1600-h/2534949869_small_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj83v0RaOeMwaiACnME4USly35nWBQk8GQevs3vvRAQ4siTZLAeTzw-4YrJEZ2dM7RY_awsBBvzvZMHabLPZ_SxrZqTEKcNqzTLL0O3V8Gg3OCnLTR2BdIMpEjcZPzxsdRADzhxMAzr1Fo/s320/2534949869_small_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5356253315449972850" /></a><br />Pedal Joe will remain in the city until the 30th, recovering from the 'aggression' of the malaria transmitting mosquito, then he will continue on to Lomé, capital of the Togolese Republic.<br /><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4RUWsYuAdOACXTEMwFeH85JNpNBugAcoU1tH5E9ckxrfZrqa9ArTKqB9bk4urq3YMwSjVmJjbjAhbpSbMmF3oQJRoUzt-f58Hsb499vIwyUyDWIy09JoOefycRRIQXH1wmkdTl0uY7Yo/s1600-h/2523663903_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 149px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo4RUWsYuAdOACXTEMwFeH85JNpNBugAcoU1tH5E9ckxrfZrqa9ArTKqB9bk4urq3YMwSjVmJjbjAhbpSbMmF3oQJRoUzt-f58Hsb499vIwyUyDWIy09JoOefycRRIQXH1wmkdTl0uY7Yo/s200/2523663903_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355417435401400418" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Malaria</span><br /><br />According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 40% of the world's population (around 2,4 billion) coexists with the risk of malaria infection in more than 90 countries – the African continent being at the fore-front, with nearly 300 million affected (which results in 1 million deaths) each year, representing the second most common cause of death in the continent.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />Malaria reaches man through the prick of the female of the Anopheles mosquito. Altogether, four types of Plasmodium can cause the disease: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. Plasmodium vivax, in the last 10 years, has become responsible for the largest number of cases of malaria.</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-57772831661830386472009-05-09T14:15:00.015+01:002009-07-10T05:52:27.020+01:0009/05/09: Pedal Joe has completed 8500 kms, half of the planned journey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6P-axnHJQwH8DosnDm1-HpygT0qycEtDM1VobeIsB1xWt3pcyUWeeb55QYnfGieINdoajNhD_zd4hy6xOzXFJWbJipz_Y95MSviLC8AcfCkOyoVg45gLBWCtIcX01d6pVn0KntJQcBqG/s1600-h/DSC_0187-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 212px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ6P-axnHJQwH8DosnDm1-HpygT0qycEtDM1VobeIsB1xWt3pcyUWeeb55QYnfGieINdoajNhD_zd4hy6xOzXFJWbJipz_Y95MSviLC8AcfCkOyoVg45gLBWCtIcX01d6pVn0KntJQcBqG/s320/DSC_0187-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334528400530039778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><b>Pedal Joe´s contact in Ivory Coast:</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><b>+223-65850146</b></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">While the Brazilian Football Team defends its classification for the World Football Cup of 2010, comfortably, a lonely Brazilian presses on towards South Africa, Country that will host the games. Environmentalist, adventurous photographer, José Geraldo de Souza Castro, Pedal Joe, 51, at every moment demonstrates that, when one has a dream and sufficient courage to make it real, the impossible goal is just there, right around the corner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">His current exploit completes one year. On the 10th of May of last year, a dense fog was covering the sky of the Parisian summer, when a tiny go-kart moved by pedal, built and adapted specially for the trip by the Dutch company BERG Toys, began to pull itself slowly from the giant structure of the Eiffel Tower. Gradually, the initial route was drawn amidst magnificent sceneries until it reached the vast expanses of the Sahara. It was thus: France, Portugal, Spain, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and, now, the Ivory Coast. The first stage of 8.500 kilometers ends this Saturday, the 9th, in the city of Bouaké, in the central region of the latter country.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Different from other projects, a mixture of adventure and a call to arms about the destruction of the environment, – “ World Cup Spain 82 ”, “ 'round the world ”, “ From Liberdade to Cristo-Rei ”, “ Old man Chico ”, “ Crossing of Guanabara Bay ” and “ In the Waters of the Tietê ” – the objective now is nobler: to attract the attention of the international community to two of the biggest problems that affect the vision of children around the world, principally in the poorest countries: Cataract and Glaucoma and, in so doing, to get funds for the program <b>Sight First</b>, a campaign of the <b>Lions Clubs International</b>.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Sight First programme already restored the vision, through cataract surgery and the upgrading of ophthalmological facilities, to hundreds of millions of adults and children. To continue and to expand this initiative, the Lions launched the <b>Campaign Sight First II</b>, in which Pedal Joe takes part, with the objective to raise at least US$ 150 million.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The adventurer himself justifies: " I am always doing campaigns on behalf of the Environment, but I know that around the world there are thousands of children and adolescents who cannot see the colour green as it really is. These persons know a cataract only by the noise of the waters slamming against the rocks and know a bird only for its singing. We can revert this picture. If only each one of us would do a his or her part... It is as easy and as simple as preserving and cleaning our Planet ”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">It is not always a tranquil journey. There is an area controlled by a rebel militia (the cyclist's current whereabouts) and almost totally ignored by the official powers in Ivory Coast itself. But everything can become a classroom for knowledge including the contemplation of a country that does not exist, Western Sahara. Joe recounts his experience in the episode that he called 'the imaginary country':</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">" When I left Tarfaya, and after doing approximately 20 kilometers up to the city of Ada, the supposed frontier between Morocco and Western Sahara, I did not see any sign or indication of a frontier... no guards, no customs... nothing! Only the black carpet of the asphalt tearing the sand of the desert. It began there, my passage through a country that only exists in the world map and is recognized by the United Nations. After the withdrawal of Spain in 1975, Morocco, together with Mauritania, occupied the whole territory. Contradicting decisions and recognitions of international organisms, Morocco maintains the occupation of Western Sahara through 200.000 (Moroccan) settlers subsidized by the state. On the 22nd of February of 1982, the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) is admitted officially as a member of the African Union. Progressively, 73 States of the World have recognized it. Up to 1990, there is a long succession of resolutions approved by different international organizations. They all emphasize the right of the people saharaui to self-determination and to independence... But on the ground, nothing changes: on paper, Western Sahara is a great nation... but in fact, it is a Utopia ", concludes Pedal Joe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Next Monday, begins the second stage of the trip. Gradually, South Africa is looming near and, with her, the certainty for Joe of assisting to FIFA's first Football World Cup on that continent. Only 8.500 kilometers more worth of turns of the pedals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Francisco Assis de Souza Castro, Journalist (publication authorised by the author)</i></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE3zdthrAd0_NHjD38-N0GFY2TSmBNVPH3RA-wjMPxl50AZFXcSekljfseLjt8xhCqR4XpeZC-zUt1dI3zE7HzjzZHnvR7of35aIyIpB2bdmc3vyCs5f4SMGRqKX_H-MgTIQP1o0k6FYf/s1600-h/DSC_0169.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheE3zdthrAd0_NHjD38-N0GFY2TSmBNVPH3RA-wjMPxl50AZFXcSekljfseLjt8xhCqR4XpeZC-zUt1dI3zE7HzjzZHnvR7of35aIyIpB2bdmc3vyCs5f4SMGRqKX_H-MgTIQP1o0k6FYf/s320/DSC_0169.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5334530111939414210" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><b>Some historical background*</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Deep blue eyes, thin nose, fine lips, hair always in disarray, an hollywoodian general aspect; thin body, mid stature and clear skin, though tanned by the constant exposure to the sun. All that, added to an uneasy spirit and to a pure soul, always ready to share the problems of his fellow men and women and, why not, of the world. José Geraldo de Souza Castro, Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), himself. And that makes him equal, yet different. He inspires surprise and trustworthiness wherever he passes, even if seen for the very first time.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A boy of poor origins, he was born in Guaraciaba, Minas Gerais, Brazil, on the 15th of July of 1957. Youngest child of four brothers, he lost his father, the self-taught teacher Luiz José Martins de Castro, when he was four months old. Abandoned, the mother, the maid Maria Auxiliadora de Souza Castro, three months after the death of her husband, moved to Viçosa, where, with great sacrifice, started to draw the trajectory of her progeny, transmitting with wisdom the teachings of respect, humility, simplicity, complicity and companionship, basic necessities for the survival of who had not experienced a golden cradle.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No novo domicílio, lavando roupas para estudantes da Universidade Rural do Estado de Minas Gerais (UREMG), hoje, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), dona Maria começou a preparar os seus filhos para a vida, oferecendo a eles aquilo que lhe fora negado: a educação escolar. Assim, em um ambiente humilde mas de muito carinho, José começou a ensaiar os primeiros passos, sempre procurando fazer algo para ajudar a sua mãe. Quando era inverno, na época bastante rigoroso, os agasalhos eram poucos e, após suportar o frio pelas ruas, havia sempre o aconchego do lar, onde a mãe o esperava, como a todos os irmãos, com uma fogueira acesa na cozinha do pequeno casebre. Acariciados pelos afagos da mãe e o calor do fogo, todos dormiam... José sonhava, ora dormindo ora acordado...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Em certa ocasião, praticamente foi adotado por alguns estudantes da Universidade, a quem prestava pequenos serviços, depois de levar ou trazer a trouxa de roupa que sua mãe lavava. Desta amizade com os alunos, surgiram laços mais fortes, como o caso de Joenes Pelúzio Campos, que ele escolheu para padrinho.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Em época de Natal e Dia das Crianças, José gostava de olhar os presentes na vitrine. Quando chegava em casa, confeccionava os seus próprios: eram bois de chuchu, carretas com rodas de pedaços de cuia e tantos outros. A vantagem era que os presentes da vitrine estragavam e seus donos tinham que comprar outros. Os de José não, estavam no próprio quintal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foi assim que passou sua infância: perambulando pelas ruas de Viçosa, em busca de um futuro que insistia em não chegar. Foi engraxate e jornaleiro. Vendeu pastéis aos passageiros dos “trens de ferro” que levavam e traziam gente e notícias. Mas também fez peraltices. Foram estas peraltices que o jogaram nas mãos de comissários de menores que o enviaram primeiro ao Patronato "Escola Agrícola Arthur Bernardes", hoje Centro Tecnológico de Viçosa (CENTEV), no Bairro Silvestre, em sua cidade; depois, para a Escola XV, no Bairro Quintino, no Rio de Janeiro. As autoridades que o enviaram para lá esperavam que ele criasse juízo. Não criou. Se ter juízo é viver escravo de convenções que determinam a passagem da maioria dos seres humanos pela terra, o Zé continua sendo um desajustado.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ficou por pouco tempo confinado naquela "Casa de Passagem”. Mesmo assim, sofreu todo os abusos da sociedade. Foi privado de muitas coisas na adolescência. Porém, descobriu que existem muitos meios de se derrubar grandes obstáculos e viu que a persistência não é o mais prática, mas de todos, o mais eficiente. Um dia, aproveitando o descuido da segurança, fugiu. Reformatório, pensou, nunca mais. Hoje é um exemplo para os jovens mostrando que nem sempre a “ocasião forma o ladrão”. Teve todas as oportunidades para se tornar um marginal, mas o ensinamento e a persistência pela dignidade o tornaram o grande homem que hoje é "descrito", através destas linhas e de toda a imprensa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">No Rio, depois da experiência de interno como menor infrator, o ciclista encontrou o seu caminho em vários episódios. Dali partiu para uma missão quase impossível por que tinha certeza de que “o possível se consegue em pouco tempo e impossível demora mais um pouco”. Ali, o futuro começou em forma de presente. Como pode uma bicicleta mudar a vida de uma pessoa? Ou ainda, uma parte dela, os pedais, da determinar o destino de um aventureiro, transformando-o em ambientalista como um Dom Quixote em sua luta contra os moinhos de vento? De repente, o mundo, tão grande para os demais mortais, tornou-se pequeno para o Zé do Pedal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hoje, dedica-se ao meio ambiente. É secretário geral da Fundação S.O.S Planeta Terra, organização não governamental idealizada pelo ciclista em sua viagem; assessor para o meio ambiente do Distrito LC 12 e do Lions Clube de Viçosa; e embaixador da Ong Apua Várzea das Flores, de Betim/MG. Tem participação em várias organizações mundiais e é solicitado a participar de eventos para conscientizar as pessoas do perigo que corre o Planeta pela falta de água, provocada por desperdícios e poluição dos mananciais.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sua luta e trabalho com o meio ambiente começou pelo Rio São Francisco, onde José pôde ver, fotografar e relatar com tristeza o modo como o ser humano é incoerente no cuidado com a natureza, atirando despejos e detritos nas águas do rio sem nenhum constragimento e, por outro lado, exigindo que as autoridades tomem providências para a preservação do ecossistema.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Os barranqueiros, como são chamado os moradores ribeirinhos, o receberam com muito carinho e aproveitaram sua voz para pedir ajuda ao rio em agonia pois sua morte trará a destruição de muitos lares. Famílias inteiras já sofrem na pele as conseqüências dos atos desumanos deixados por turistas e moradores das cidades grandes que ficam próximas às margens.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Esta viagem já lhe rendeu exposições em várias cidades do Brasil e do exterior, pos ele também é fotógrafo. Além disso, ministra palestras em escolas conscientizando as crianças quanto ao valor da água e o cuidado a ser tomado para que o futuro não seja marcado por uma seca pior das já existentes no nordeste e alerta sobre a possibilidade de verdadeiras guerras futuras por um simples copo de água.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ambientalista, aventureiro, fotógrafo, humanista, pedalista, viajante, José ou, simplesmente, Zé. São muitos os substantivos que o apresentam e os adjetivos que o qualificam.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A infância vai-se longe, mas a esperança de que há sempre um lugar para se chegar continua empurrando o aventureiro em busca de novas emoções.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>*Extracted from the book: “Pedals of Hope: the adventures of Pedal Joe” (Author: Francisco Assis de Souza Castro)</i></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe thanks BERG Toys, University Photo and Buynet for their support.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For more information about <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SigthFirst</span>: <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/"></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">http://www.lionsclubs.org</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Friends who have collaborated with the project:<br /><br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/zedopedal.html"><img style="margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; text-align: justify; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3scwUy3Wn6-f9MAd7EQtVeHffzArl6DUdxew9LH50J3vbfeAU2ar9b87PbO0uH2uunCqDJT206Ngnf9kkmqGdEo6OJEsOwTzQEHXnpsWF03vIxk_qIYnILsGdyPHcEd2DJoQP36EzeTg/s320/berg_logo_xsml.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5239368653455644898" border="0" /></a><a target="blank" href="http://www.rosfrios.com.br/">Rosfrios Alimentos</a> * supplements<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a> * pedal go-kart<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.bergbrasil.com/">BERG Toys do Brasil</a> * logistics<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.deuter.com.br/">Deuter do Brasil</a> * camping material<br />Foto Universitario * photographic material<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.buynet.com.br/">Buynet</a> * ISP - Internet Provider<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/">Albergues Privados do Caminho de Santiago</a> * food and lodgings<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.caminhodosol.org/">Caminho do Sol-Brasil</a> * travel products<br /><a target="blank" href="http://www.mfernandapaz.com/">Fernanda Paz - Mindo Falcão</a> * travel products<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"In the last 70 years, the World's population has tripled. The demand for water increased six fold. If the present patterns are not modified, in 2025 four billion people will not have access to water."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Water: a drop, a life... preserve them. For me... for yourself... for our Planet..." Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal)</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-69560422620957894582009-05-04T11:26:00.004+01:002009-05-08T14:53:48.823+01:008500 kms... and one year on the road!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiovAgxqk_oCRcqipLKONO0hfVPdVfuI1GyNlN74XbN4M-WCuLNGiWyolbpfuteCHlcDaHiSiMvm807gL8PzTBF82vasxEHl3_mSMxl_GfnZwvaTE5IQUNHOPZD1UPN5CGxkCC3VMP-w/s1600-h/ivory-coast-map1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiiovAgxqk_oCRcqipLKONO0hfVPdVfuI1GyNlN74XbN4M-WCuLNGiWyolbpfuteCHlcDaHiSiMvm807gL8PzTBF82vasxEHl3_mSMxl_GfnZwvaTE5IQUNHOPZD1UPN5CGxkCC3VMP-w/s320/ivory-coast-map1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333411531525214930" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre-wrap; font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">Zé's contact in Ivory Coast: +</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: normal; font-family:Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">223-65850146</span></span></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">"So... within the next 4 days, in the city of Niakaramandougou, I will be completing 8500kms... pedalling half way to South Africa!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The same day of the commemoration, I will have spent 1 year on the road...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From the day I departed from Paris, much asphalt rolled under the small tires of the Go-Kart ... many dreams and joys shared with hundreds of friends who offered smiles and cheers to keep on going...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Difficult would be to mention each one's name here... since I would risk forgetting someone...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Therefore I will only say, from the heart: THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU WHO BECAME PART OF THIS DREAM...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Beijo no coração. (A kiss from the heart.)"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Zé</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-39448686754982209772009-03-28T17:58:00.005+00:002009-04-07T18:34:53.447+01:00Pedal Joe gets a write-up in The Times of South Africa !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGYxvP_xy2EzNhjo2Hfv5G3W_IKYMR6-VLew4pk_pmiOxA4V5X_uel0po5e6-q7ga3wwiJDuH14btk92ais749mFMTS_aj2iQvkvn_OiLjtO2jgYEadqbHVwYtwtjhqOZXFMs1jDdmpM/s1600-h/Pedaling+to+the+World+Cup+for+a+cause.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 345px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTGYxvP_xy2EzNhjo2Hfv5G3W_IKYMR6-VLew4pk_pmiOxA4V5X_uel0po5e6-q7ga3wwiJDuH14btk92ais749mFMTS_aj2iQvkvn_OiLjtO2jgYEadqbHVwYtwtjhqOZXFMs1jDdmpM/s400/Pedaling+to+the+World+Cup+for+a+cause.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5321995882798507042" /><br /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="text-decoration: underline;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#990000;"><a target="blank" href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/SpecialReports/2010WorldCup/Article.aspx?id=968661">Read the original article here</a></span><br /></span></span><br /></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-1787271265905213522009-03-12T11:24:00.017+00:002009-07-10T04:16:15.254+01:0012/03/09: Brazilian arrives in Mali bound for the 2010 Football Cup in South Africa<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDsxtXF0Cnssn_Pq-n1ix5XoDUFl7d-H9F82ejI4Mk_OEt1YOCbMovUl_u9UEJrAnUkoEjVHLPJgyTH35NIb6KgvBXmyJHuD05Dp6E4YENG5RSs-Yl8T7BO6nZ2qvlrLr4KZpfW3occ3Z/s1600-h/fronteira.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDsxtXF0Cnssn_Pq-n1ix5XoDUFl7d-H9F82ejI4Mk_OEt1YOCbMovUl_u9UEJrAnUkoEjVHLPJgyTH35NIb6KgvBXmyJHuD05Dp6E4YENG5RSs-Yl8T7BO6nZ2qvlrLr4KZpfW3occ3Z/s320/fronteira.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313014422318155730" border="0" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />Zé's contact in Mali: +223-65850146</span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Facing temperatures superior to 42° Celsius, the Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro (Zé do Pedal - a.k.a. Pedal Joe), 51, arrived at Bamako, capital of Mali, in his first leg of the second stage (Dakar-Lagos) of his trip, in a pedal go-kart, prepared specially for the trip by the Dutch company Berg Toys, bound for South Africa, where he intends to attend the Football World Cup in 2010.<br /><br />Pedal Joe, who left from Paris on the 10th of May 2008 and has already travelled over 8 countries and 8000 kilometers, and intends to arrive in Johannesburg by the 15th of June 2010, was received in this city by the members of the Lions Clube, Bubo Diarra, Cheickna Diawara and Deidia Katara.<br /><br />The objective of the trip is to focus the attention of the international community on two of the biggest problems that affect vision, especially children's: Cataracts, Glaucoma and on the great world-wide project of the International Lions Club to combat preventable blindness, the campaign <span style="font-weight:bold;">Sight First</span>.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5sRSw8HYTdlP_d1XJN-HZIR4oOFblb67tZgFubC0Jl4DTgInVFzWJixEeleWXmT8DbbnO8vYa6_K1fcgN5BpO95BXj6sjcJHhXdVcL-OY8_bwegmPPKA_EUlrmalVSCvXAfUis7nYuCW/s1600-h/buba+e+epz.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 305px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5sRSw8HYTdlP_d1XJN-HZIR4oOFblb67tZgFubC0Jl4DTgInVFzWJixEeleWXmT8DbbnO8vYa6_K1fcgN5BpO95BXj6sjcJHhXdVcL-OY8_bwegmPPKA_EUlrmalVSCvXAfUis7nYuCW/s320/buba+e+epz.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313015481113125778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lions International Club, a non-governmental organisation recognised by the United Nations (and advisory member thereof) started in 1917, due to the social preoccupations of a man from Chicago, MELVIN JONES, and, only three years after its foundation, in 1920, the Association became international when the first club was established in Canada.<br /><br />The altruism is from the beginning the principal purpose of the Association that counts, at present, with more than 1,4 million members, men and women, who integrate around 46.000 clubs located in more than 200 countries. Thanks to the appeal launched by Helen Keller in 1925 at the International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, in the USA, the Lions Clubs became the champions of the blind and visually impaired, launching in 1990 its extraordinary campaign "<span style="font-weight:bold;">Sight First</span>".<br /><br />In Mali, Lionism was born on the 13th of January 1958 with the creation of the Club Sokala Bamako. It took 34 years in order to see the birth of other Lions Clubs, like the Bamako Melina (essentially feminine), Yeelen Bamaco, Sigui Bamaco, Sikasso Deme, Phoenix Bamaco and Caïlcédrat Bamako. The country has also two Leos Clubs.<br /><br />As in other countries, the Lions Clubs of Mali carry out large scale actions in the struggle against preventable and reversible blindness and, thanks to the actions of the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF, acronym in English), more than 5 million dollars were invested in renovation (or construction) of schools and hospital buildings, donation of hospital equipment and the formation of students and specialists. Campaigns of awareness are also carried out, through communitarian radios and construction of latrines in the rural environment.<br /><br />Other areas of deployment of the Club in Mali include the struggle against diabetes, tuberculosis, esquistossomosis, support for non-seeing persons, lepers and mental patients and the construction of the SOS Children's Village, for children in risk. As regards the environment, another important area of action and concern for the Lions Club International, the Clubs of Mali carry out plantation of trees.<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3k-qatw1zMwESDiYWlHxtzL32lS40CMs8byR2JlnislaCJXinXB75C8RjC-FK4-fGZY6881ICD5LbayJhBDgQ0Ri_KHNRNpqM37r0huFD5CfmCDuWiJDjxKJrt5dvKuMK_M5lxwcbB5m/s1600-h/kart+em+bamako.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3k-qatw1zMwESDiYWlHxtzL32lS40CMs8byR2JlnislaCJXinXB75C8RjC-FK4-fGZY6881ICD5LbayJhBDgQ0Ri_KHNRNpqM37r0huFD5CfmCDuWiJDjxKJrt5dvKuMK_M5lxwcbB5m/s320/kart+em+bamako.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5313014886173202178" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(102, 0, 0);">Environment, one more problem for the Africans</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">MEADOW</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe, ambassador for the environment of the ONG APUA Meadow of the Flowers and ex-adviser for the environment of the District DLC12 of the Lions Clube, affirmed that the great preoccupation of the rulers of the countries south of the Sahara (and of the international community) is the encroachment of the Sahara desert towards the south.<br /><br />With this preoccupation in mind, the president of Senegal, Abdulah Wade, and the first Minister, Cheikh Adjibou Soumaré, urged recently in Dakar the African States to make the Great Green Wall (GMV) a priority project of the continent for the next 10 years. 15 kilometres wide and seven thousand kilometers of long, the Great Wall is going to tie Senegal to Djibouti, passing by 9 other countries - Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Tchad, Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritreia, aiming to curb the desertification.<br /><br />Nevertheless, and regrettably, in the case of Senegal, the desertification begins inside towards the outside. In the last 40 years the extraction of wood for domestic use as fuel practically put an end to the woods and there is not a single reforestation project in the works or any sustainable handling of the few areas where there still exist large trees (which, not so slowly and in vain, are being turned into coal).<br /></div><br />INHERITANCE<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">" The Great Green Wall is going to be an inheritance of the humanity and an inexhaustible fountain of several essential productions to our rural communities up to now weakened by the conditions of existence in the saharo-salian zone ", he declared, adding that the Africans must not let the situation in which they live go on, which generated a degradation of the natural resources of the referenced countries.<br /><br />If on one hand the forests and woods of Senegal are a preoccupation, the situation of the water for human consumption in Mali is still more worrying. In accordance with a document of the Spanish ONG INTERVIDA, an organization that offers aid to more than 25.000 students of public schools in Ségou and Macina, approximately 65% of the children younger than 15 years old of Mali suffers from diseases linked to water (for example malaria, typhoid fever, conjunctivitis, diarrheas and bilharziosis), a consequence of using non-drinkable water to drink as well as to cook.<br /><br />In spite of the actions of awareness of the ONG, through the existent communitarian networks of hygiene and sanitation, as well as national and local campaigns of treatment of water, the consumption of non-drinkable water by part of the population of Mali is quite difficult to eradicate because of different factors. On one hand, there are not enough boreholes nor waterworks and the existing points of water are far away from the houses. Another reason for the continuing use of water in unsafe conditions is that cistern water is in many cases contaminated (one of the principal causes of the contamination of the water is the lack of protection of the cisterns) by the human and domestic animals excrements. Also the wells that dried during the dry spell are recuperated without being cleaned beforehand, are turned into a source of illnesses and parasites.<br /><br />Present in different countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia, giving support to almost five million persons, the ONG works towards the improvement in the accessibility of water in the zone and tries to educate the population to adopt an appropriate behaviour in the use of drinkable water.<br /><br />Pedal Joe thanks his Lions companions Brito Rocha, Álvaro Drurão, Joaquim Miguel, Julia Lima and Caty Soares, all from Portugal, who are always phoning to provide moral support.</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-69616026862998384702009-02-12T01:38:00.001+00:002009-03-14T12:34:48.882+00:0010/02/09: Pedal joe at the Lions' All Africa Forum<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKeKqSMcrxSFhCusDRPScVJBDDzAzkrCBjkhRKR01QvqOUTfoeSHfociVQVoxGcOUF6Yl82nR6DdoLNFfjo9SOOCqTIYZ1NePaXZe60cn1MaxkeeYDOF9iAbicUBlaKjo9qGaS6mp6YsM/s1600-h/DSC_0328.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxKeKqSMcrxSFhCusDRPScVJBDDzAzkrCBjkhRKR01QvqOUTfoeSHfociVQVoxGcOUF6Yl82nR6DdoLNFfjo9SOOCqTIYZ1NePaXZe60cn1MaxkeeYDOF9iAbicUBlaKjo9qGaS6mp6YsM/s320/DSC_0328.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300678615006689362" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro (Pedal Joe), 51, member of the Lions Club of Viçosa, DLC12, APLIONS and CIRCLE, is in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, where he attended, between the 5th and the 7th of February, the 14th All Africa Congress, which had as its central subject: 'WORK: A MIRACLE AGAINST POVERTY', organized for the African Districts and counted with the presence of representatives of all African countries as well as delegates from other continents (Asia, Europe, Americas).<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcQFgZiR-u6VgGvMk8ALZOlBcJHJ5JOE6d3R03NbaN5mugD40db229weUsHbunWhG2cO54zd-FzRwY1q0wwWXqiGH49M4jeSaus3WOnSWygLhJpTSaJcO_ZHZ0UQR7lKW7YvQo2eZ9mi_/s1600-h/DSC_0241.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcQFgZiR-u6VgGvMk8ALZOlBcJHJ5JOE6d3R03NbaN5mugD40db229weUsHbunWhG2cO54zd-FzRwY1q0wwWXqiGH49M4jeSaus3WOnSWygLhJpTSaJcO_ZHZ0UQR7lKW7YvQo2eZ9mi_/s320/DSC_0241.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300679603496520706" border="0" /></a><br />The objective of this conference was to continue to establish bonds, to consolidate the brotherhood and to strengthen the friendship between the African peoples and also to strengthen the paper of the civil society in development.<br /><br />During the event, there were training workshops for the regional leaderships aiming at preparing the members of the diverse Lions Districts of Africa for managemental functions of the club and in its communities, pursuing the development of knowledge in communications, motivation, group dynamics and team management.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbKu3RW2n2ruK8vS6vYPt7a5m5lbxK_yls2uUuH5SKL5COjMPBHDqNxjV0tEqR3yx8cvMuPVlTe7hU9ye5pCFZpsqPcrngcFbMUA28CbHGx23w5OszoESuI2z0xSfFH-QSrIgynoD1GWW/s1600-h/DSC_0285.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 211px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqbKu3RW2n2ruK8vS6vYPt7a5m5lbxK_yls2uUuH5SKL5COjMPBHDqNxjV0tEqR3yx8cvMuPVlTe7hU9ye5pCFZpsqPcrngcFbMUA28CbHGx23w5OszoESuI2z0xSfFH-QSrIgynoD1GWW/s320/DSC_0285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300680584475850898" border="0" /></a><br />The workshops were directed by the former-president of the Lions Club International, Mahendra Amarasuyia.<br /><br />The next All Africa conference, will be carried out between the 3rd and the 6th of February, 2010, in the Moroccan city of Marraquech (<a href="http://www.allafrica2010.com/">http://www.allafrica2010.com</a>)<br /><br />Pedal Joe returns today to Senegal to continue his trip to South Africa.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Lions are known in the whole world for the services they provide for the blind and the partially-sighted. This service was created when Helen Keller challenged Lions to become the knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness, during the International Convention of the association in 1925.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since then, Lions Clubs, in the whole world, embarked on many fields related to sight in order to, help the blind and to prevent curable blindness. It is being quoted for memory that: the white cane which was designed by Lions Clubs in 1930 to help the blind to move, schools to train dogs guides for the blind are also supported by Lions Clubs.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Through the SightFirst campaign, the Lions:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Are now recognized as world leaders with regard to the control of sight-related diseases:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Played a significant role in the removal of cataract as a serious problem of public health in several countries ;<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">• Raised the awareness of Governments on the importance to support blindness control, and further sensitized the WHO on the importance of ocular corners by doing their best so that this question be recognized as a real threat to public health.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Acting locally but thinking globally, one of the great objectives of the Lions Club it is to eradicate Oncorcescose (river blindness) in South America by the year 2010 and in Africa by 2020. Another goal is to eradicate Tracoma by 2020.<br /></div></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-47238067133732502542009-01-21T11:16:00.006+00:002009-02-27T02:02:37.912+00:0011/01/09: Pedal Joe arrives in Dakar, on his way to the World Cup 2010 in South Africa<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrMw0kM6kEHig8ALtQUpiErqIx8ywrRwlJY8eokztvsahJ86vAs5dwQtuzBLb73Wb1QAQH-1W5O6-z0OmVxu60QyRT8teXBa3kf62VuGJbApwUcOruxtjVG6EfHxuA2vsSRo86_IG6HAn/s1600-h/DSC_0080.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrMw0kM6kEHig8ALtQUpiErqIx8ywrRwlJY8eokztvsahJ86vAs5dwQtuzBLb73Wb1QAQH-1W5O6-z0OmVxu60QyRT8teXBa3kf62VuGJbApwUcOruxtjVG6EfHxuA2vsSRo86_IG6HAn/s320/DSC_0080.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292820714116670498" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pedal Joe's contact in Senegal: +221-778029819</span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">Eight months after having left Paris in a pedal kart (built and donated for the adventure by the Dutch company Berg Toys - <a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">http://www.bergtoys.com</a>), the Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro (Zé do Pedal), 51, arrived at Dakar (capital of Senegal) thus finishing the Paris-Dakar leg of the trip, after having covered 6500 kilometres, which took him exactly 1140 hours.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian travelled through France, the French Route of Santiago de Compostela, crossed Portugal from North to South, returned to Spain, crossed Morocco, Eastern Sahara, Mauritania and, finally, Senegal.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During that time, Pedal Joe was homaged in Portugal, received from a group of gypsies a proposal to exchange his kart for a horse (proposal refused), and gave lectures in schools. Being asked by a Senegalese Television journalist if the trip was difficult, Pedal Joe answered: "No… It was child's play… I leave with my toy at seven in the morning, and at the end of the day I have pedalled 30, 40, 50 and, sometimes, up to 100 kilometres".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most difficult part of the trip so far has been crossing the Sahara Desert. After having crossed the Tropic of Cancer, Pedal Joe found on his path, besides poisonous snakes, scorpions and a burning sun, the frightful terrestrial mines that are spread about in the sands of the desert up to the Morocco-Mauritania border. "It has been a difficult week and very tense… knowing that I could not leave the asphalt for whatever reason; I was at times scared and even somewhat stressed". Fortunately, with the proper circumspection and precautions taken, nothing serious happened.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-VcYmTifCN_FqSHArCnyggNzDqK9dYsQPuYFC54LhcRrJE0BXpitxWyeADOjzoVEeSXCoFNroBGi5AuStbyzAJoyj4XuXLdXv_BXwC_NNHl8vTOLqDKTD7xvEWSdIYYdTaws5jCum-67/s1600-h/DSC_0798.JPG"><img style="text-align: justify;margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px; " src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju-VcYmTifCN_FqSHArCnyggNzDqK9dYsQPuYFC54LhcRrJE0BXpitxWyeADOjzoVEeSXCoFNroBGi5AuStbyzAJoyj4XuXLdXv_BXwC_NNHl8vTOLqDKTD7xvEWSdIYYdTaws5jCum-67/s320/DSC_0798.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5292819227755015266" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From now on, other problems await Pedal Joe: the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, that already forced 300 thousand people to run away from their own homes, many of them looking for shelter in forests and refugee camps, a situation considered for by the Red Cross as an humanitarian catastrophe. The war in the D.R. of the Congo, which dates back to 1998, worries humanitarian organisations such as the UN, the Red Cross and other groups. The UN keeps in place 17000 soldiers to try and keep the peace. About 2 million people have so far died in this war, without knowing peace… that is still far from being a reality.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">To avoid these and other problems, such as the cholera epidemic that devastated Guiné-Bissau since the end of May of last year, Pedal Joe will make small alterations to the script previously elaborated. One of the great concerns in this trip is precisely the tropical illnesses.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">From Dakar the cyclist will travel towards Mali, on the way he will pass through the region of Tabacounda, where Oncocercosis (river blindness) is one of the Senegal's biggest eye sight problems. Later, Pedal Joe will go on to Burkina Faso, where he will attend, between the 5th and the 7th of February, in Ouagadougou, the '<a href="http://allafrica2009.bf/en/apropo?PHPSESSID=3aea925a1bab35006d1a371a9aab3d65">14th All Africa Conference - Ouagadougou 2009: WORK MIRACLE AGAINST POVERTY</a>'. It will be organized under the High patronage of the highest authorities of the country, covered by several medias, and in presence of representatives of all African and friend countries (ASIA, EUROPE, USA).<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The objective of this conference, in addition to profits provided to the country which organizes it, is to further establish bonds between African people, strengthen friendship between the members of African countries, and consolidate African brotherhood and also strengthen the role of the civil society in development.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Francophone Regional Institute of leadership training is being held from February 3rd to 5th, 2009 at hotel SOFITEL Ouaga 2000 in Ouagadougou, in margin of the 14th Conference of African Lions. This Training Institute aims at preparing African Francophone Lions for managerial duties within the club and the district by developing their competences in the areas of communication, motivation, group dynamics, team management.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On February 4th and 5th, 2009, a SightFirst training workshop will bring together the representatives of all African Districts in order to promote the SightFirst Programme in Africa. On February 5th, 2009, the Meeting of African Leaders and Coordinators of CSFII will be held.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-31084928272703255302008-12-28T02:16:00.008+00:002009-01-21T11:13:47.785+00:0008/12/28: Pedal Joe arrived in the city of Saint Louis, Senegal<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBfFpaNRGd8HyjEJulA-NR0sppcQQL8lRD8elfTSQd_s42OQf81wlbpsxkam6bYHfVDrGuF94V1OkZWDQkywEAONR5Em7wUANDcyx8LU5g1-52kbBbAU7jHgqPhGgFEsKKuWlD8G5MkM/s1600-h/Picture+2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 296px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxBfFpaNRGd8HyjEJulA-NR0sppcQQL8lRD8elfTSQd_s42OQf81wlbpsxkam6bYHfVDrGuF94V1OkZWDQkywEAONR5Em7wUANDcyx8LU5g1-52kbBbAU7jHgqPhGgFEsKKuWlD8G5MkM/s320/Picture+2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284673058444664770" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pedal Joe's Contact in Senegal: +221-778029819</span></span></span></span></span><br /></div><br />Zé do Pedal has already reached the city of Saint Louis, Senegal, 300 km from the capital, Dakar.<br /><br />Saint Louis, a city laying on the border with Mauritânia, has an approximate population of a million inhabitants. The time is the same as that of Portugal. The temperature is 37º, while in Europe it rains and snows intensely.<br /><br />Zé will spend the passage of the New of Year in this city.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdamo_r7Dgz4S2FCMZAPK-6uMdEbNNt8bkLb_-fWzxMQzSzf77xZ9KSavYxC7dMhMGobXugy8ETQEyp9s3fY12ToIIaolIamA9cRPdSLRphLARmpXyyFD2heIrjKQPgKgxhcJZlGu41Ww/s1600-h/2196552739_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdamo_r7Dgz4S2FCMZAPK-6uMdEbNNt8bkLb_-fWzxMQzSzf77xZ9KSavYxC7dMhMGobXugy8ETQEyp9s3fY12ToIIaolIamA9cRPdSLRphLARmpXyyFD2heIrjKQPgKgxhcJZlGu41Ww/s320/2196552739_1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5284674465216606626" /></a><br />He wishes Happy Holidays to all his friends and a New Year of Tranquility!José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-32950825616336992712008-11-05T13:02:00.052+00:002009-01-21T13:03:43.685+00:0008/11/05: Pedal Joe has completed 5000 Kms and is "pedaling" in the Sahara Desert<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHwUrO4At2UPq6wyze5Nqca3Pa0hSZyQ2PR7hv7GNW4PfpOpu4Z0O5Az6_gy1e-4-Qwui2EQpQovLK31KwWQp9tcgrPQPygNksBs5wxNMwdvtCLZpq4RR-OkJsO8v7mmBudXeFAXZXm9q/s1600-h/Picture+1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: justify; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 260px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMHwUrO4At2UPq6wyze5Nqca3Pa0hSZyQ2PR7hv7GNW4PfpOpu4Z0O5Az6_gy1e-4-Qwui2EQpQovLK31KwWQp9tcgrPQPygNksBs5wxNMwdvtCLZpq4RR-OkJsO8v7mmBudXeFAXZXm9q/s320/Picture+1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264530087449998226" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 102);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;">Î </span>Click to see larger pictu</span>re <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal;font-family:arial;">Î</span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Pedal Joe's Contact in Morocco: +212-55783251</span></span><br /></span></span></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">"The Sun that warms the soul is the same that melts the asphalt" (Pedal Joe)<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jose Geraldo de Souza Castro</span>, Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), 51, member of the Lions Club of Viçosa, arrived this morning at Boujdour, in the Sahara, after having covered, in almost 6 months, more than 500 kms of desert and completed 5000 kms of his planned trip through 20 countries of Europe and Africa (a total of more 17.000kms) in a pedal kart, manufactured in Holland by BERG Toys (<a href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">http://www.bergtoys.com</a>) and especially prepared for the trek, bound for the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, where he will attend the World Football Cup "South Africa 2010".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD_YTMssU2JKkuvfeOT3PONUsg86KG9ljjrICxPnKCY5bHkfPjwiyYxk8RPxGwclvtlo17A8xBMGJXXEMIZLxtWDTc2rBL86R6FWlKUNfe3-9JfcjCLqSXTTi5EJJOSX9NYzblZiUDRa/s1600-h/Z%C3%A9+aos+5000km+2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: justify; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD_YTMssU2JKkuvfeOT3PONUsg86KG9ljjrICxPnKCY5bHkfPjwiyYxk8RPxGwclvtlo17A8xBMGJXXEMIZLxtWDTc2rBL86R6FWlKUNfe3-9JfcjCLqSXTTi5EJJOSX9NYzblZiUDRa/s320/Z%C3%A9+aos+5000km+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264547584503347858" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;">The mark, that surpasses the two of the previous trips with similar transportation means (2.500kms in Japan, 1985, and 4.300kms in Brazil, 1987, Chui - Brasilia) and represents 30 percent of the total of the planned trip, was reached at 30kms from the city of Boujdour (name given by the Portuguese and which, in Portugal, has the meaning of "the last limit of man and his world". Fernando Pessoa in his unforgettable poem said: "Portuguese sea… It's worth everything if the soul is not modest, who wants to go beyond the Bojador, has to surmount suffering", in a clear allusion to the great navigational feats that gave the Portuguese the conquest of other latitudes: "oh salty sea, how much of your salt are the tears of Portugal!") at kilometer 1559 on national road 1, that connects the city of Tanger to Lagouiria (2476 kilometers), at the border with Mauritania. In that city there is an old Portuguese fortress. Last monday, the 27th, Joe obtained his best performance since he left Paris, on the 10th of May: he covered the 101 kilometers between Tarfaya and Laayoune in 11 hours. The cool weather and a northern wind helped him in that feat.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHjv1sgluYFPY8RjGuOC3NCk0j7oFBWi8VWX8CLhdDvR_XeSQthBH8WQHd9gPnGl5cZnc5pLs-wjYA8y2r3SwkmeODNjBKJBzaP6_L0DpBCZGgtOe6HW7SBpOlMYfq8f53Mc9PWkKyz0/s1600-h/2114454989_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 197px; height: 220px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHjv1sgluYFPY8RjGuOC3NCk0j7oFBWi8VWX8CLhdDvR_XeSQthBH8WQHd9gPnGl5cZnc5pLs-wjYA8y2r3SwkmeODNjBKJBzaP6_L0DpBCZGgtOe6HW7SBpOlMYfq8f53Mc9PWkKyz0/s320/2114454989_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267213358155666018" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe informed that, "thanks to the 'winter', the temperature is not very high and the highest so far has been of 41 degrees. At 7 in the morning the Sun warms the soul and at midday melts the asphalt. Fortunately I am travelling in the 'winter' and the sun is not very strong, the average temperature is around 40 degrees and there is often a strong wind, which diminishes the effects of the heat. I was lucky when I arrived at Laayoune, since it rained for two days which was rather refreshing. The alimentation consists of vegetables, fruits and a can of sardines every now and then".<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8xLhqlupkLBxNOGXllU-YVjQoDafh_vUMaC24nbpOg2TAkfuHvYbnKJhoJDeiTEpckSQ1tYPmOPyN6yIyPW4liAH07dEIoApH7Ntjf4OfJAGXgRosOJFgteMDp6Jyb7fRtMAMmeOHRyP/s1600-h/Z%C3%A9+aos+5000km.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn8xLhqlupkLBxNOGXllU-YVjQoDafh_vUMaC24nbpOg2TAkfuHvYbnKJhoJDeiTEpckSQ1tYPmOPyN6yIyPW4liAH07dEIoApH7Ntjf4OfJAGXgRosOJFgteMDp6Jyb7fRtMAMmeOHRyP/s320/Z%C3%A9+aos+5000km.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264535372310363154" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The trip is happening normally and without mishaps. I am in contact with the Portuguese friends Brito Rocha, Julia Lima, Henrique Veludo and Jorge Albergaria. I am also in permanent contact with members of the United Nations in the region of the Sahara and with the Brazilian Embassy in Rabat through the Vice-consul, Luiz Geraldo Magalhães Moraes who, together with Embaixador Virgílio Moretzsohn de Andrade, contributed to the obtention of the visas for Mauritania and Senegal".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8P3LHPLHFLPqLn8gD8EXWDCu3Dp6rujdGcEf6WZ1CtQ39-7O42uPQ_xKbJ7R-ilxwI6GI3avYvLuQnRGEiAe1vP6hqqnQw45B9VdIyGxCVi7is78AI1FdnjUQu7bkaQsovBId0Ct9L5Y/s1600-h/2102899661_1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 230px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8P3LHPLHFLPqLn8gD8EXWDCu3Dp6rujdGcEf6WZ1CtQ39-7O42uPQ_xKbJ7R-ilxwI6GI3avYvLuQnRGEiAe1vP6hqqnQw45B9VdIyGxCVi7is78AI1FdnjUQu7bkaQsovBId0Ct9L5Y/s320/2102899661_1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5267223279442182578" border="0" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tomorrow Pedal Joe hits the road again towards Dakhla, 350kms away, where he thinks he will enjoy a small 15 day vacation. "Now I am crossing what could be the more mentally difficult part of the trip: from here to Dakar, in Senegal, lies 1740kms of much sun and sand, however I am satisfied with the way the trip is evolving and for the extraordinary forms of aid and solidarity that I have received throughout, especially in this zone where the sand dunes of the Sahara and the wild sea are the landscape that serves as companion. The gifts of water, fruit and bread, etc., that are offered by the drivers of the trucks that carry fish from the ports of Laayoune and Dakhla, are not few! After six months on the road, I find that it timer to give the body a rest and to try to put the column in it's proper place..."<br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nedFJaXgl43xo1aeLkwwpxiahyvvp4tKPS0IhqWxpNDyx9nqeov4m7iHyG_7a3m_sjP-v13BNoUC-NWC985wcA7-jSrHEummSZJanZyCwC9Q8aulJsXFuUIRSKi2AzlxXue3IC9mL_c6/s1600-h/Z%C3%A9+%26+amigos.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: justify; display: block; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0nedFJaXgl43xo1aeLkwwpxiahyvvp4tKPS0IhqWxpNDyx9nqeov4m7iHyG_7a3m_sjP-v13BNoUC-NWC985wcA7-jSrHEummSZJanZyCwC9Q8aulJsXFuUIRSKi2AzlxXue3IC9mL_c6/s320/Z%C3%A9+%26+amigos.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264549141402944466" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe has been registering his impressions of the trip in his new blog <a href="http://www.zedopedal.skyrock.com/">http://www.zedopedal.skyrock.com</a> where, at least once a month, or when he finds easy access to the Internet, he places some photos and information about the trip: "thus, it will be a little easier for my friends to follow the trip."<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Worries about the environment<br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe lamented the little attention that the authorities give to the environment: "the amount of garbage that I crossed throughout the 2000 kilometers covered here in Morocco, mainly in the desert, is mind boggling. The utter absurdity was when I passed Sidi Akhfinir: the coastal guard is a vast garbage dump. The guards simply throw incessantly all the garbage over the great cliff by the seaside. A good percentage of this garbage is "hanging" in the cracks of the rocks. What happens to fall into the sea has other destinations: Canary Islands, Europe, Americas, South Africa and, what does not "catch a ride" in the open sea maritime currents, ends up on the Moroccan coast. During the cleaning of the streets in the city of Tanger, which was flooded during last week's strong rains, it was possible to observe the tractors removing, next to the silt, tons of garbage coming from the sewers".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of the trip<br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of the trip is to call the attention of the international community about two of the biggest problems that affect children's vision around the world (mainly in the poor countries), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Cataract</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Glaucoma</span>, as well as spreading the word about the great campaign of the Lions Club International: the <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">SigthFirst program</a>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;">A few words about the Lions*<br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The International Association of Lions Clubs commemorates its 91st anniversary since its foundation, which had as its first president <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Dr. William P. Woods</span> and as secretary <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Melvin Jones</span> (Idealizer and Founder), a position he occupied until his death on the 1st of June, 1961. During these 90 years, the entity formed by men and women imbued with a disinterested desire to Serve, disposed to carry through activities directed towards the betterment of our society and to valorization of the human being, has distinguished itself as the largest Non-Governmental Organization in the World, respected and admired by leaders of all Nations.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the historic convention of the Lions in Dallas, Texas, between the 8th and the 10th of October, 1917, thirty six delegates, representing 22 clubs from nine states, approved the designation "Lions Clubs", the statutes, the regulations, the objectives and the Code of Ethics.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the next three years, the association became international, with the foundation of the first club in Canada and as the years went by, the international expansion continued with the foundation of new clubs, especially in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America and Brazil in the decades of the fifties and sixties.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In her speech at the International Convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, in 1925, <span style="font-weight: bold;">Helen Keller</span> challenged the Lions Clubs to envolve themselves in the fight for the blind and visually impaired: "Will you not constitute yourselves Knights of the Blind in this crusade against darkness?".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With the ambitious SightFirst Program, the Lions International Club has commitments with the young, with work to improve the environment, with the construction of houses for the physically impaired, with spreading awareness concerning diabetes, with programs to prevent serious vision loss and improve eye care services for hundreds of millions of adults and children and, through the Foundation, to offer assistance to the victims of catastrophes in all parts of the world.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The associates form an international network of 1,3 million men and women, distributed throughout 202 countries and regions, working unselfishly to respond to the necessities faced by communities around the world.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In this its 91st year, the Lions reaffirms its commitment to the conservation of vision, through the international program <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/lcif_gr_sightfirst_program.shtml">SightFirst</a> and of the <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_services_wsday.shtml">World Sight Day</a>, in global partnership with agencies of the United Nations and ophthalmological, philanthropic and professional health organizations. With the collection and recycling of eyeglasses that are distributed to the developing countries, especially in the month of May, which is the month of the Lions' program for <a href="http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/content/vision_eyeglass_recycling.shtml">eye glass recycling</a>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The International Association has modernized, with the inclusion of the young (LEOs) and the recognition of the affiliated <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Leo Clubs</span>, that have much collaborated for the enlargement of the movement that we embrace.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the amplification of its international activities, the Lions Club has collaborated with the United Nations in the construction of the sections of non-governmental organizations, in 1945, maintains a permanent chair and continues to hold its position as an advisor to the UN.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The month when the Lions commemorates the foundation of the association was chosen for a campaign of affiliation of new associates; every month is important, but it is good to underline the concern of Lions International with the program to increase the number of associates. During the month of October, in Brazil, the Lions will publicise a campaign aiming at the increase of new members whose hearts will be committed to the leonine service.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Lions Clubs of Brazil have always distinguished themselves and are recognized by the Direction of Lions International as producers of great Lions, great campaigns and of recognised fellowship. Cordiality and friendship is the link between the associates of the Brazilian Clubs. Currently, in the person of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">CªL Rosane Teresinha J. Vailatti</span> of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Lions Club of Jaraguá</span> of the South-Center - District LD-5, Brazil is represented in the International Direction, and is the first Brazilian woman to occupy an important position within the Lions, elected at the International Convention of Lions Clubs, held last June in Bangkok.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />*Luiz Mar Sória/Cal Jacira<br />Lions Clube de Porto Belo Bombinhas<br />Costa Esmeralda - Distrito LD - 5 - SC</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;">Lions Club of Viçosa<br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While the world commemorates the 91 years of the Lions Clubs International, District LC12 commemorates the 41st anniversary of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">L</span><span style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">ions Club of Viçosa, to which belongs Pedal Joe</span></span>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The commemoration was on the 29th of October, with the club holding its festive meeting in the Panorama Restaurant, at which two new associates were admitted. Pedal Joe participated in the meeting by telephone and wished the new members a rewarding and fruitful work in favor of those in need.<br /></div></div></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-37898985357559195042008-10-23T17:36:00.008+01:002008-11-09T18:28:30.070+00:0008/10/23: Pedal Joe already in the Sahara Desert<a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd28QEnAgk8ef-OvDjrOvVVYY7kIhU1eeNnQpWbRLoU1uvRIBy2DddloMPNoKwjtMLk3p9RanB2PvOwnijBUdybMTsQvYrN7C3ZYFIMso0SGaAiv7qeLXFYAhrEyn5al3nqBSYW9bS58/s1600-h/2103307843_1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 212px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRd28QEnAgk8ef-OvDjrOvVVYY7kIhU1eeNnQpWbRLoU1uvRIBy2DddloMPNoKwjtMLk3p9RanB2PvOwnijBUdybMTsQvYrN7C3ZYFIMso0SGaAiv7qeLXFYAhrEyn5al3nqBSYW9bS58/s320/2103307843_1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263373899273819010" /></a><br />Report given by PCC Brito Rocha, after a phone conversation with Joe:<br /><br />"After passing a day resting in the small and pretty beach of Tan-Tan, Pedal Joe began pedaling again, this time already in the Sahara Desert - very similar to the Desert of Baja California in Mexico, — many stones, very dry and almost without vegetation and the one that exists is scrubby. Temperature is about 38ºC.<br /><br />He is already 370Km south of Agadir and 600Km north of Dakhla where he will take a boat that the PDG Jorge Albergaria arranged to reach the Capital of Mauritania - Nonakchott - in order to avoid a very dangerous area where conflicts and abductions routinely happen.<br /><br />His alimentation consists of onions, tomatoes, cucumbers and cans of sardine. He has with him a 15 liter jerrycan of water which significantly increases the weight of his pedal kart. He makes coffee by making a fire with pieces of wood that he finds by the side of the road. There is a great deal of wind which makes the pedaling difficult.<br /><br /><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzqrHaueCYgDZbCBzehgpUn3N2Knkr5-8fvF27klhk2Iz_7vK0o-IL0K6wyd2CZarrlq3lbmOvcD6M4L5T6po0Iqh21Dh4xaj8lZNSpk00XtGkCEcMKBtmimGHpQAFJkDZ9lyOHb_oeUy/s1600-h/Z%C3%A9+at+Tan-Tan.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 286px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzqrHaueCYgDZbCBzehgpUn3N2Knkr5-8fvF27klhk2Iz_7vK0o-IL0K6wyd2CZarrlq3lbmOvcD6M4L5T6po0Iqh21Dh4xaj8lZNSpk00XtGkCEcMKBtmimGHpQAFJkDZ9lyOHb_oeUy/s320/Z%C3%A9+at+Tan-Tan.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5264551880090400450" border="0" /></a><br />He is 70Km north of Sidi-Achsennir, but given the wind he does not expect to reach that town, thinking to spend the night 30Km before, sleeping by the side of the road, which is asphalted and has some movement. It is from this locality that Joe will face the true sand dunes of the Desert until Dakhla.<br /><br />This is what Joe told me, as always well disposed, happy and satisfied with the population he comes in contact with, people who stop to just talk to him. His kart and harness have the Flag of Brazil and the Lions Emblem well displayed. <br /><br />Joe sends a Hug from the Heart to all his Companions and Friends of Brazil and Portugal."José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-70061338051527222182008-10-14T16:23:00.003+01:002008-11-09T18:28:50.433+00:0008/10/12: Pedal Joe meets the President of the Lions Club International<div><br /></div><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ieNQ6AbZahsLamKtwHJ2fTtr8TG7Y3F2obt_Wm0If0N1xRi3O0BcdE_5reUa-oFtnDHPbsIWL2Q-dKZmaCuVAM8sSE3bQYCGHNoYszieXMV23hL6-xrn225mqQjIISr-YJU__uBIW8QO/s1600-h/Z%C3%A9+Al+brandel.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3ieNQ6AbZahsLamKtwHJ2fTtr8TG7Y3F2obt_Wm0If0N1xRi3O0BcdE_5reUa-oFtnDHPbsIWL2Q-dKZmaCuVAM8sSE3bQYCGHNoYszieXMV23hL6-xrn225mqQjIISr-YJU__uBIW8QO/s320/Z%C3%A9+Al+brandel.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5262959372706525154" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">The environmentalist and Brazilian photographer, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">José Geraldo de Souza Castro</span>, Pedal Joe, 51, member of the Lions Clube of Viçosa (DLC12) visited this weekend the Moroccan city of Casablanca where he met with the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">president of the International Lions Clube, Al Brandel</span>, and his wife Maureen Murphy, who are on an official visit to several Districts of the Lions in Africa.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the meeting, Pedal Joe offered the president a copy of his project "Extreme Worlds" and talked about the importance, principally for the least developed countries, of the program <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">"SightFirst"</span> of the International Lions Club. "The Program SightFirst is a great light at the end of the tunnel. It is the tangible hope of millions of persons, most of them children, who dreamt of one day to be able to see again. And the program SightFirst is managing to realize that dream", said Joe.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the meeting, Pedal Joe participated, after being invited by the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Governor of District 416, Abdelkader Masnauni</span> and by the ex-governor <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Aicha Detsulli</span>, in the seminar "For a Responsible Leonine Ethic" and the launch of the plan of action of that Moroccan District, at the Faculty of Medicine of Casablanca. During the seminar, the difficulty of creating a proper Cornea Bank in the country was stressed, mainly for cultural reasons.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In her intervention, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Maureen Murphy</span> spoke about the experience that the couple had in Kenia, where they visited an Ophthalmology Hospital (built and equipped with allowances from the Program SightFirst) and they asked a patient who recently had had a cornea operation, a mother of 2, what were her feelings after being able to see again. And she answered: "To know my children and to be able to see their smiles".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Al Brandel</span> also talked about the great social commitment of the Lions. He showed figures relating to the investments of the Program SightFirst in the region and of the efforts that the Club is making in combating <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">"river blindness"</span> in Africa, where it is expected to be eradicated during the next few years.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Tomorrow, Pedal Joe takes to the road again... he will face the great Sahara Desert!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-31515244041031535572008-09-09T17:52:00.016+01:002008-11-05T13:00:42.123+00:0008/09/09: Pedal Joe arrives in Morocco<a target="blank" style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OoGBskykBwFFctCW6XNP-dijNQMluuB_LWOpuVslK9f8_sOHnHXMAPRXdmAvl6UJlIvnM3bcoB204M33sauMzxzhdo9e0zSMnDGrDuyV0RI5rTEhm7xiEreeNfgYyNRAJH6h1p-Ce-M-/s1600-h/Ze_em_Africa_01.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: justify; display: block; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7OoGBskykBwFFctCW6XNP-dijNQMluuB_LWOpuVslK9f8_sOHnHXMAPRXdmAvl6UJlIvnM3bcoB204M33sauMzxzhdo9e0zSMnDGrDuyV0RI5rTEhm7xiEreeNfgYyNRAJH6h1p-Ce-M-/s320/Ze_em_Africa_01.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5244112518881960098" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;">Pedal Joe's contact in Morocco: +212 55783251<br /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">The book PEDAIS DA ESPERANÇA (PEDALS OF HOPE), which gives a detailed account of the life and travels of Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), is being published and will be launched in December. In case you would like to purchase a copy, please write to: </span><a href="mailto:zedopedal@gmail.com"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">zedopedal@gmail.com</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 0, 153);">. By buying this book, you will be collaborating to the success of Pedal Joe's current project. Thank you so much for your support.</span></blockquote><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Travelling at an average speed of 6 kilometers per hour, and doing about 50 kilometers per day, in a pedal go-cart, the Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro, alias Zé do Pedal (Pedal Joe), 51, arrived at Rabat, capital of Morocco, bound for Johannesburg, South Africa, where he will assist at the Football World Cup "South Africa 2010".<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4e_l4WSSDL1_4MqMXAgDFeRHOwiD5MQofB9KSJRGOOOPxVqx2ZRgSaWg6uX5gdFWND9osO5lrE6qjDTiNK_5UATVrN27PI8eGVDMlwNHN3SgwrbUn3rqOlmc9_jHb0h9tDk9YSTZ-fU/s1600-h/Ze_em_Africa_03.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju4e_l4WSSDL1_4MqMXAgDFeRHOwiD5MQofB9KSJRGOOOPxVqx2ZRgSaWg6uX5gdFWND9osO5lrE6qjDTiNK_5UATVrN27PI8eGVDMlwNHN3SgwrbUn3rqOlmc9_jHb0h9tDk9YSTZ-fU/s320/Ze_em_Africa_03.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246332697202129010" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe reached Tanger on Wednesday, arriving from Spain, after having crossed the strait of Gilbratar, and has already covered 320km. In Rabat he was received by the ex-governor of the Lions, Aicha Detsouli, and by members of the Lions Clube in Rabat, and, this morning, Tuesday, was received in the Brazilian Embassy by the Ambassador, Virgílio Moretzsohn de Andrade, the Vice-deputy, Luiz Geraldo Magalhaes Moraes, and the Counselor, Marcelo Marotta Viegas. In the afternoon he met the mayor of Rabat. Tomorrow, Wednesday, he travels to Mekines, Fez and Marraquech. Later, he will cross the Sahara desert, following the Atlantic coast, bound for Mauritania.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a target="blank" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIOy-CNYz4NHJ42XO_XjRsonJXAzc5tgS3gklrqvams0qbLjrDhdj2sGiiN_hit0olKcl4bbDdqzTcc8H2XnXHVbR2EuhE09OoWJmXko3o3YiA0nBDaXSXIcHqzwwWPxW6-4LmJqGx6Y/s1600-h/Ze_em_Africa_02.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIOy-CNYz4NHJ42XO_XjRsonJXAzc5tgS3gklrqvams0qbLjrDhdj2sGiiN_hit0olKcl4bbDdqzTcc8H2XnXHVbR2EuhE09OoWJmXko3o3YiA0nBDaXSXIcHqzwwWPxW6-4LmJqGx6Y/s320/Ze_em_Africa_02.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246333720778959698" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The objective of the trip is mainly to call the attention of the international community about two of the biggest problems that affect the vision of the World's children, especially in the poor countries, Cataract and Glaucoma, and to spread out the word about the great campaign of the Lions International Club: the SigthFirst program.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since its launching in 1990, these are some of the accomplishments of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SightFirst</span>:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• distributed US$ 211 million for 896 projects in 90 countries<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• provided 7,3 million cataract surgeries<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• hindered the serious loss of vision of 20 million people<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• improved the eye sight services for hundreds of millions of people<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• constructed or it extended 300 clinical hospitals/sight infirmaries<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• modernized 337 sight centers with equipment<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• promoted the training of management for 115 installations<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• trained 345,000 ophthalmologists, nurses and other ophthalmology professionals, and also local health professionals<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• launched the first global initiative to combat infantile blindness in the world, in partnership with the World Health Organization<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">• the 30 constructed or modernized ophthalmological pediatric centers improved the lives of 71 million children<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Control of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Onchocerciasis</span> (river blindness) and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Trachoma</span>:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SightFirst</span> financed more than 65 million treatments of <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Onchocerciasis</span> (river blindness) in Africa and Latin America since it formed a partnership with the Carter Center in 1999. The treatments of river blindness have transformed the lives and the communities in 12 countries of Africa and Latin America. In reality, in Latin America, the specialists foresee the eradication of the illness in 2010. The subsidy for the Carter Center is also focused towards trachoma, the main world-wide cause of preventable blindness. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SightFirst</span> is controlling trachoma in two million people in three countries.</span><br /></div></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Project <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SightFirst Action in China</span>:<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Concluded in 2002, Phase I of the program <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SightFirst Action in China</span>, promoted by LCIF, financed 2.1 million cataract surgeries and established ophthalmological surgical units in 104 agricultural counties that previously had none. Phase II will approach blindness again on a large scale. A subsidy from SightFirst of US$ 15,5 million was complemented with about US$ 200 million by the Chinese government. The goal of Phase II is to carry through at least 2,5 million cataract surgeries, as well as strengthening the infrastructure of the ophthalmological units, creating secondary units in hospitals of 200 underdeveloped counties and provinces, and also in Tibet. To guarantee the continuity of the services of ophthalmological attendance for the vast and poor agricultural population, training courses of paramedics will be created in the occidental and northern provinces.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe will pass through the following countries, during the approximately 700 days that will take the trek, having in the end covered 17.500kms: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Namibia, Bostwana and South Africa.</div></div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4159293463836527587.post-15018865121108902262008-08-27T12:00:00.011+01:002008-10-31T17:23:30.068+00:0008/08/27: Pedal Joe finishes the European leg of his trek to South Africa<div style="text-align: justify;">Joe's contact in Spain until Monday 01/09: +34627795786<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After having logged more than 3200 kilometers in his pedal go-kart since he left Paris, on the 10th of May, across France, Spain, Portugal and again Spain (including a quick walk through Gibraltar), the Brazilian José Geraldo de Souza Castro, alias Pedal Joe (Zé do Pedal), bound for South Africa, where he plans to assist the Football World Cup "South Africa 2010", arrived at Tarifa, ending thus the European part of his unusual adventure.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On Monday he will cross by boat the Strait of Gibraltar, bound for the Moroccan city of Tanger.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The most heart felt moment of the trip was when Pedal Joe met with José Lima and Rosa Carvalho in the Portuguese town of Quarteira. Lima and Rosa had just crossed Portugal (870 km., north to south) on wheelchairs to incentivate the Portuguese to become more aware of the necessities and basic rights of the physically disabled.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe informed that in the first stage of his voyage he received much support, especially from the Moto Clubs of Faro (Portugal) and of Jerez de La Frontera (Spain) and of several Lions clubs of Portugal. In all the Portuguese cities where there is a Lions Club I was received with great warmth by its members. Important also was the support of the delegations of the Portuguese Red Cross of Vila Viçosa, Beja and Vila Real de Saint Antonio.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The pedal go-cart specially prepared for this trip, manufactured in Holland by the toy company <a target="blank" href="http://www.bergtoys.com/">BERG Toys</a>, was based on the model <span style="font-weight:bold;">BERG X-plorer X-treme</span> and is equipped with tires of high durability, rims in polyethylene, armoured transmission chain, torque bar, steel frame, 7 gears, head lights, ergonomic seat, LED lights, rear-view mirrors and odometer.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to the environmentalist, the objective of the voyage is to call the attention of the international community to two of the biggest problems that affect children's eye sight, all over the world, but especially in the poorest countries: <span style="font-weight:bold;">cataract</span> and <span style="font-weight:bold;">glaucoma</span>, and to spread the word about the International Lions Clubs great campaign: the program <span style="font-weight:bold;">SigthFirst</span>.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the 700 days (17.500 km approximately) the trip is expected to last, Pedal Joe will cross the following countries: France, Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, Cameroon, Congo, Angola, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa.<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Pedal Joe expresses a special thank you to his Portuguese companions of the Lions Club: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Julia Lima</span> and <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Brito Rocha</span>.</div>José Geraldo de Souza Castrohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12022099172813994255noreply@blogger.com0