The 10-month Breaking the Cycle expedition started in October in Cap Vert, Senegal, the most westerly point of Africa. It will travel east to finish up in Cape Hafun in northern Somalia, the most easterly landmark on the continent, in August.

Leeming has cycled a staggering 10,000 kilometres so far and travelled through nine of the 22 countries on the expedition.

The team, which comprises Leeming and cyclist Daniel Harman, as well as a support vehicle driver and cameraman, usually spends about six-eight hours per day on the road.

Melbourne-based Leeming told MNn the expedition was on schedule, but the team had incurred more expenses than originally budgeted.

“We are living off about $80 a day by camping where possible and thanks to the support of our mining sponsors, who have been providing bases in some of the main cities,” she said.

Ausenco is a gold sponsor, Bassari Resources, EMC, Globe Metals and Mining, Range Resources, NKWE Platinum and Continental Coal are silver sponsors and Mineral Deposits, Gryphon Minerals, NGM Resources, DMC Mining and Avonlea Minerals are bronze sponsors.

Sundance Resources has offered unofficial support by giving the team a place to stay in Cameroon.

Leeming said they still needed a further $A15,000 to complete the expedition due to the unexpected high cost of living in Africa.

“We hear how so many live in poverty – off less than a dollar a day – so when many things cost almost as much as they do in Australia, a dollar doesn’t go far,” she said.

According to Leeming, Africa has about one sixth of the world’s population and just 1% of the economy. She said it surprised her how so much of the produce available was imported and how little was produced locally in many of the countries travelled through so far.

“I think ‘trade not aid’ is the key, and improving education and infrastructure is essential for sustainable change,” Leeming said.

“Mining and resource partnerships can play a very big role in improving these issues along with debt relief and greater transparency.”

There have been other challenges for the team other than cost blowouts.

“During journeys such as these I have to expect the unexpected,” Leeming said.

“Most recently in the ROC we have been supported by DMC Mining who have provided security through most of our journey. In fact, we would not have got through the Republic of Congo without their support and government connections.”

DMC provided the team with an armed escort through the Pool region just west of Brazzaville to ensure their safety, which turned out to be vital.

“I was part way through my ten thousandth kilometre, 40km from Kinkala when a Ninja rebel fired at the military escort,” Leeming said.

“The soldiers swung into action and fired back, then waving me closer. I moved quietly behind a mound of dirt hoping to stay out of sight.”

Leeming said the soldiers quickly cleared the route and the team was ushered through.

“Needless to say I really picked up the pace for the remainder of the journey!” Leeming said.

As part of the mission to highlight poverty, the team stops to visit different sites along the way and Leeming said she often felt powerless when she could not help everyone.

“The hardest thing is that so many people ask for help, but I can do nothing except publicise their problems in the hope that it will create some support,” she said.

Leeming recalled the story of a Mbororo refugee from the Central African Republic she met in a refugee camp in a village near Bertoua, eastern Cameroon.

“The anguish and sheer terror expressed when she recounted the story of how she came to be there moved me to tears,” she said.

“Rebels had destroyed her life, stealing everything her family owned, kidnapping her children while demanding a ransom [three times] and then killing her husband and three of her children.

“She fled with the rest of her children, gave birth during the journey and finally has found some sort of peace and stability in Cameroon.”

Logistics has been another issue that has proved more difficult than in Leeming’s previous Australian expeditions.

“There are so many logistics and loopholes to deal with in Africa that it is very difficult to make the expedition flow as in other journeys,” she said.

“My mining sponsors have been invaluable in sorting out logistics, security where needed, and general support.”

The team is working with eight partner organisations along the route to focus on the specific issues including UNESCO, Plan Australia, World Bicycle Relief, FARM-Africa, Edun Live, 500 Supporters’ Group, Afar Pastoralists’ Development Association, and Tidene (Niger).

UNESCO has recognised Breaking the Cycle as an official activity of the United Nations Decade of Education for Substantial Development.

The expedition also is being supported by the international division of the Education Department of Victoria, which is developing and funding an innovative E-learning program for schools.

The department is promoting the program across Australia and internationally.

To support Leeming and the team, email kate@btcycle.com