ABOUT TIRE TRACKS
When most Europeans and Americans think about Africa, they - more than anything else - think famine, poverty, AIDS and countries torn by civil war. News reports emerge mostly at moments of high urgency to inform us of issues that require our immediate attention. And though these ‘waves of interest' increase awareness and involvement, they are short lived, therefore, wrongfully creating the impression that the problem is solved. As a result, our views of Africa are fragmented and pigeon-holed, foregoing that Africa is much more than famine and safaris, or a continent devoid of hope. Lacking this broader understanding, it becomes increasingly difficult to support a continent that seems to be so far away and unrelated to our world. Is there a way to fundamentally change our point of view on Africa and its place in the world? |
In January 2006, the Tire Tracks team takes off on a two year, overland expedition from Casablanca to Cape Town to Cairo, to explore, understand, and explain Africa, its natural and cultural treasures, and its inhabitants.
By zooming into day-to-day life in 35 African countries, the Tire Tracks expedition team gives students and adults around the world the opportunity to explore a variety of different aspects of the African continent on a continuous basis. Through our global, interactive education program, as well as our reports and adventure stories, we will help individuals develop a fresh and balanced view of Africa that ties together isolated issues, and puts them into a broader, more recognizable perspective. By doing so, people will deepen their understanding of issues affecting Africa, and be able to view Africa and its place in the world in a new light.
Education Initiatives
The Tire Tracks global, interactive, web-based education program provides students and teachers with the opportunity to explore 50,000 miles of African beauty. Co-developed by a dedicated team of over 60 teachers from 11 countries, this multi-media pilot provides rich, real, relevant and up-to-date content that enables teachers to reinforce concepts taught in science, social studies (geography, citizenship), technology and reflective writing classes (suited for ages 8-15). By interacting with students and teachers on a frequent basis from the field, and by encouraging interaction between students and teachers of participating schools, the Tire Tracks team will help students improve their understanding and appreciation of African cultures, as well as their own, and better prepare them to make informed and balanced decisions in the 21st century.
Media Initiatives
Through our stories, reports, and photos, we will share our adventure-packed, African experiences with the global community. By reporting on situations throughout our journey, taking a balanced approach between covering the good and the bad, and adding a human perspective to issues we usually only hear about from a news reporting angle, the Tire Tracks team will help people better understand how African issues relate to their own world.
This unique approach to exploring, understanding and explaining Africa enables individuals around the world, especially Americans and Europeans, to relate African issues to their own world. With this new outlook, involvement with Africa and its people becomes long-lasting, and as a global community, we will be more inspired to work together to address issues before they become too big to solve.
Full details on the expedition can be found on the Tire Tracks website, www.tiretracks.org