From cycling challenges through Kenya and Tanzania’s national parks to volunteer-powered services at UK music festivals, Child.org’s events fund our maternal and newborn health work in Kenya. Events Manager Jess Pugh explains how.
“The routes flooded overnight”.
During the heavy El Niño rains of 2023, the Ride Africa logistics team worked through the night, driving alternative paths to find safe reroutes. By morning, riders faced an unexpected obstacle: a riverbed crossing with a foot and a half of rushing water.
Riders jumped off their bikes and helped push the support vehicles through.
“You couldn’t stop them,” says Jess Pugh, Child.org’s Events Manager. “They were having the time of their lives.”
That moment – equal parts pure adventure and joy – sums up the work Jess leads: events that people talk about for years, built on meticulous planning, that ultimately fund Child.org’s maternal and newborn health work in Kenya.
From Sarajevo to Bristol
Jess did not begin her career in event management. She arrived at it by way of international relations. After completing her degree, she moved to Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, leading communications and advocacy for survivors of wartime sexual violence. It was heavy, vital work. As she looked toward a long-term career in the charity sector, she wanted an approach combining cause-driven conviction with human energy. Based in Child.org’s Bristol office, Jess leads a portfolio that looks radically different from traditional charity fundraising. Instead of formal galas, Child.org runs large-scale, immersive experiences: placing hundreds of volunteers at UK music festivals through Charity Concierge; routing cyclists through East African national parks during Ride Africa; and fundraising alongside the London Marathon.
“I knew I wanted to continue working in the non-profit sector with women’s rights at its centre,” Jess says. “And I realised I love curating experiences. I love delivering events that people talk about for the rest of their lives. To be part of something that is ultimately life-changing, where people find their community or push themselves physically, is so special.”
Based in Child.org’s Bristol office, Jess leads a portfolio that looks radically different from traditional charity fundraising. Instead of formal galas, Child.org runs large-scale, immersive experiences: placing hundreds of volunteers at UK music festivals through Charity Concierge; routing cyclists through East African national parks during Ride Africa; and fundraising alongside the London Marathon.
Cycling through national parks with wildlife rangers
An endurance event like Ride Africa runs on a project cycle of nearly a year. Long before participants arrive, the team handles route scouting, supplier coordination, and dedicated participant support. When event week arrives, as Events Manager, Jess oversees a crew of 44 people coordinating every detail on the ground, right down to the personal touches.
For Jess, high-stakes logistics are balanced by curating a deeply personal experience.
“All of us pride ourselves on the details,” she explains. “We might be cycling through Tarangire National Park in Tanzania for the first time, but participants take just as much joy in the thoughtful touches – like a custom room key ring with a Kenyan flag on one side and a Tanzanian flag on the other.”
Riding through parks with wild animals demands strict safety protocols and close collaboration with government wildlife authorities. Before the peloton sets off, Child.org meets senior wardens from the Kenya Wildlife Service and the Tanzania Wildlife Management Authority to plan escort formations: rangers at the front and rear, continuous radio contact, and floating support vehicles.
During one ride through Lake Nakuru, where large buffalo herds and rhinos share the route, more than 40 rangers lined the way.
“I had no idea this was going to be the case,” Jess recalls. “Every corner we turned, rangers were stationed up in trees for visual viewpoints. Turning a corner and seeing a ranger positioned in a tree or along the ground, the operational support behind that is incredible.”
Why unrestricted funding matters
Beyond the adrenaline, Child.org’s events serve a vital financial purpose: unrestricted income. In 2025, event fundraising generated approximately two-thirds of Child.org’s overall income.
Amid global aid cuts and rigid grant structures, unrestricted funding gives Child.org room to plan thoroughly.
“These funds allow us to spend money where it is needed most,” Jess says. “Unrestricted funding gives our team the time and flexibility to execute programmes properly and get things right, without being constrained by rigid grant reporting schedules.”
That revenue directly supports Team Mum, Child.org’s maternal and newborn health work in Kenya. Working alongside county governments in Meru, Narok, Garissa, and Makueni, Team Mum has supported thousands of women and trained hundreds of community health workers. Unrestricted income provides the stability to build long-term partnerships with county health systems rather than racing short-term grant cycles.
From participants to lifelong advocates
The long-term goal for Child.org’s events is conversion: turning challenge participants or festival volunteers into lifelong advocates for maternal and newborn health.
“We want participants and volunteers to leave with a sense of elation and community,” Jess says. “While some event participants go on to become major donors, regular givers or community ambassadors, using events as a springboard for deeper engagement is an ongoing priority for us.”
To deepen that connection, Child.org frames pregnancy and maternal care as a universal issue that resonates with every audience, whether a rider in Tarangire, a volunteer at a UK festival, or a Kenyan rider taking on their first challenge.
Rethinking fundraising: Bringing events home to Kenya
Historically, major charity endurance challenges across Africa were designed primarily for international audiences, with fundraising structures and price points calibrated for overseas participants. Child.org is consciously shifting that narrative.
Over the next three to five years, Child.org plans to double the presence and fundraising of Charity Concierge while intentionally expanding events designed specifically for Kenyan nationals and residents. This includes initiatives like The Kifaru Ride, a day-long cycling event in Nairobi national park, and The Weekender, a weekend cycling event tailored for local families.
Opening events like Ride Africa to Kenyan participants marks an essential step toward local ownership and inclusivity. Kenya has a deep, long-standing tradition of Harambee – a local concept meaning “let us pull together,” where communities unite to pool resources and support one another. By adapting event models, price structures, and messaging to reflect local contexts, Child.org is building a model where Kenyan cyclists can actively ride, fundraise, and lead the way for maternal and newborn health in their own country.
For Jess, creating that sense of community along the route is where the real magic happens.
“Nothing bonds a team like sharing challenges on the ground,” Jess says.
Somewhere on next year’s route there will be another river. This time, Jess hopes more Kenyan riders will be there to help push.
Ready for your own river crossing? Sign up for our newsletter, join an upcoming Ride Africa, or volunteer with Charity Concierge at www.child.org.
