In 2018, two close friends decided they would raise awareness about the importance of quality education and raise donations for Pencils of Promise by cycling from Berlin to Beijing. With true grit and unbreakable determination, Max Jabs and Nono Konopka were able to not only successfully reach Beijing, but they reached their original goal of $50,000 less than halfway through the journey and would be able to build a school in Guatemala.

Photo description: Max and Nono stand in the middle of a deserted area next to their bicycles | Photo source: bikingborders.com

Their commitment to improving access to quality education around the globe has only strengthened since the end of their ride. After reaching their original goal, the school in Guatemala was completed in early 2019 and the two friends were able to experience their impact on the ground. This was clearly only the beginning. One school led to another and over the course of just three years, the Biking Borders campaign has raised more than $300,000 that has helped support six schools in Ghana, Guatemala and Laos (completed projects pictured below). Their campaign has connected thousands of people around the globe to the common cause of ensuring children have a safe and healthy place to learn and reach their full potential.

You can support the Biking Borders campaign and Pencils of Promise by visiting their fundraising page or watching their Netflix documentary.