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Julia’s African Conquest

Julia Albu approached Shine Literacy in 2017 with an incredible African overland trip all planned out. The only thing she still needed was a worthy cause that could transform the experience from a holiday to something bigger, something that could make a positive impact on the lives of the people she would come across on her journey.

As an avid reader who believes strongly in the power of literacy, Juilia asked if she could undertake her trip in honour of Shine Literacy, raising awareness of our work in the process. We were, of course, hugely supportive.

Julia set off on her overland trek from Cape Town to Chiswick, London. The catch was that Julia was 80 years old and her trusty Toyota Conquest – “Tracy” – 20, with close to 400 000 kilometres on the clock. Julia felt that, with 100 years of collective life experience, there couldn’t be a better time to fulfil her dream.

The journey of nearly 20 000 km took them a year, with family members and friends joining them on different legs of the trip. Tracy even had a stint at sea when she was shipped from Egypt to Greece, from which point they took on Europe together. After successfully making it to London, Julia went on to write a book to document her and Tracy’s adventures.

We are incredibly grateful to Julia for taking Shine Literacy with on this remarkable journey, handing out books and spreading the word about literacy as she went. She has inspired us all with her deep passion for literacy, incredible courage and willingness to give selflessly.
Read more about Julia’s adventure on www.myafricanconquest.com, or buy her book here.