Team World Bicycle Relief: Pearly Van Niekerk
Team World Bicycle Relief welcomes Pearly Van Niekerk, a Zimbabwean triathlete residing in Arlington Heights, Illinois. Pearly learned about World Bicycle Relief through Lava Magazine, and was exchited to find that the organization was headquartered in Chicago (near her current residence), and that they serve her home country of Zimbabwe! Pearly was immediately inspired to get involved.
Pearly's first action was to sign up for the Wrigley Field Road Tour, bringing along several friends for a fantastic ride around Chicago to benefit The Power of Bicycles. While talking with friends and fans, her accent alone led to questions of her heritage, giving Pearly an opportunity to share the importance of transportation in Zimbabwe and throughout Africa. Pearly explains, “By just sharing who I am, I helped people to realize that I was from Zimbabwe and that all of us in the race were cycling to help Zimbabweans. That brought me joy to know that WBR is helping a nation that I hold so close to my heart. I want to use my work as a Triathlon to spread the word that a bicycle is an important form of transport."
Pearly’s goal for 2013 is to race the Port Macquarie Ironman in New South Wales, Australia. She’ll spend three months in Australia training and bonding with family she hasn’t seen in seven years! Meanwhile, she'll be working hard to raise $2,000 to provide World Bicycle Relief Buffalo Bikes in Zimbabwe. After that, Pearly plans to return to the U.S. and focus on her work in early childhood development.
Thank you for your support, Pearly! Welcome to the Team.
