Building Tanzania's first dedicated cycling training & development base

Invest in Tanzanian Youth

How to Contribute

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  2. Select or input the amount you’d like to donate.

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Thank you for supporting our work!

In Swahili "pasha" means to warm up, as in to prepare for exercise.

But we also use it to describe setting something in motion or igniting it.

More than a cycling facility, the Pasha Training Centre exists to spark ambition in Tanzanian youth, giving them the tools, discipline, and belief to dream bigger and work harder, on and off the bike.

What We Are Building

Training Area
12x7 meter covered facility with Zwift smart trainers

Bike Workshop & Storage
Maintenance, repairs, bikes, kit, & equipment

Office Space
Program management + internet & battery backup

About the Project

Why This Project

Most Tanzanian cyclists train on open roads with no dedicated facility and no consistent access to working bikes or tools. Talented riders exist — but the country has lacked the infrastructure to develop them.

Team Africa Rising has partnered with Zwift to donate smart trainers and provide free training accounts to our cyclists. Zwift is a global online cycling platform that connects riders to structured training and live competition via stationary smart trainers.

That gift only delivers value once placed in a building with power and connectivity. This project completes the picture.

A Proven Model

Red Knot's training centre joins a growing network across Africa. Masaka Cycling Club in Uganda and the Benin Cycling Federation have shown what's possible: Masaka ranks among the top 30 virtual teams globally on Zwift, and a Benin rider recently became the first in the country's history to sign a professional contract — coming directly through their virtual program.

We are being guided by Team Africa Rising, a US nonprofit with nearly two decades of experience developing professional cyclists across Africa, and the organization behind the Virtual Performance Center network that connects these clubs.

Why It Matters

Indoor Zwift training gives Red Knot's cyclists something Tanzania has never had: structured workouts, a data record international scouts can evaluate, and access to virtual international competition without travel costs.

It also expands who can train — before or after work, in early mornings or evenings. And for women and girls, training indoors avoids road safety risks and cultural barriers that otherwise keep them out of the sport.


Who’s Running It

Red Knot Development, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit, partners with Red Knot Tanzania to fund and run education, livelihoods, and sport programs across the country.

Red Knot Development's cycling work aims to build a clear development pathway for Tanzanian cyclists from grassroots to national and international competition, while developing the discipline, confidence, and life skills that produce capable, employable young adults — whether or not they ever race professionally.

Coach Richard Laizer — Grew up in Olasiti, rode professionally in South Africa and Europe, and has returned home to invest in Tanzania’s next generation of cyclists.

Mussa Makala — Elite team rider, full-time Red Knot staff — will help run the centre and invest in the next generation.

Pauline Mollel — Leading our women's cycling efforts; she once cycled 400km from Mt. Kilimanjaro to Tanga.

Long-Term Sustainability

The goal is a sustainable program, not a one-off donation.

Red Knot is developing several paths toward self-sufficiency:

  • Cycling tourism — training riders as local guides

  • Paid bike mechanic services

  • Paid clinics and coaching

  • Local race organization

  • Prize purses from events

  • Team sponsorships

We are seeking one-time build-out funding plus a 3-year commitment to annual operating costs — giving the program time to develop these revenue streams before relying on them.

Donations today help build toward a sustainable tomorrow.

The Finances

Support the Pasha Training Centre

How to Donate

  1. Toggle one-time gift or recurring monthly.

  2. Select or input the amount you’d like to donate.

  3. Feel free to add a note or comment for our team, and click continue.

  4. You can choose whether to cover the processing fees or not.

  5. Note: the tips options sends money to Givebutter so they can make this service free for nonprofits like us. You can set tips to any amount you prefer, including zero.

  6. Select your payment method and enter details.

  7. Click to pay.

Thank you for supporting our work!

Sponsorships

Corporate and team sponsorships are available at several levels, offering visibility across the cycling program and Red Knot’s events and social media.

Sponsorship positions include naming rights for the facility, jersey and kit sponsorship, race event sponsorship, and annual program support packages.

To discuss a custom arrangement, please reach out to Brett directly.

Stay in touch.

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