Beat The Sun is proud to ride for GEF, a charity based in both Scotland and Kenya. Last year’s event saw our small group of riders raise over £20000* which will be spent directly on life-changing projects in Aberdeenshire and a number of locations in Kenya. Explore this page to find out more or click on the GEF logo and explore their own website.

Think of the difference you could make……………..

[ About ]

Side-by-side portraits of two smiling men. The man on the left has dark skin, is bald, and is wearing a patterned dark shirt. The man on the right has fair skin, short dark hair, and is wearing a black collared shirt.

GEF has strong sporting roots. It was founded by two champion athletes- Gideon Gathimba and Myles Edwards.

They are committed to building brighter futures and improve the quality of life for children and their families in Kenya and North-East Scotland.

Specialised equipment and therapy in north-east Scotland

For disabled children, the things that bring joy, independence and opportunities are not always things that statutory services are able to fund. Yet these opportunities can make a huge difference to a child’s wellbeing, confidence and quality of life. Disabled children often miss out on experiences that other children can take for granted because standard equipment, activities or environments simply aren’t accessible to them. By funding specialist resources, we can help remove those barriers and give children the opportunity to play, explore, participate and just enjoy being a child.

Ride for GEF and change lives forever.

Our 2026 ride raised over £20000

Read the stories below to learn how this Beat the Sun ride really made a difference:

We purchased a hot tub for a 10-year-old boy who we refer to as H, who has a chronic deteriorating lung condition. The hot tub provides relaxation, helps regulate breathing, and also offers an opportunity for fun in the pool, as the temperature in normal pools causes him to de-saturate.
We provided a specialist stroller for 5-year-old Jake who lives with cerebral palsy. Jake can walk but struggles for long distances. The stroller gives adequate postural support and comfort for longer journeys.
We will be providing hydrotherapy pool sessions for a 5-year-old little boy who has multiple complex health needs, including cardiac abnormalities, and is wheelchair dependant. Hydrotherapy provides gentle, supported movement in warm water, helping maintain and encourage mobility, strength, and flexibility while offering therapeutic benefits in a safe environment. Sore and tight muscles can be soothed and relaxed. It also gives him the chance to play, splash, and have fun in the water, enjoying the freedom of movement.

Education Support

These children are supported by GEF but unfortunately do not yet have a monthly sponsor but we aim to support them continuously through their various levels of education with fundraisers and events. Thanks to Beat The Sun these children will all have guaranteed support for the next year of their education.

Salome is a Form 4 (final year) student in high school, and the support covers one year of support towards her education fees. Sadly, Salome and her siblings lost their mum this year in tragic circumstances and were left under the care of a well-wisher. It would have been almost impossible for Salome to continue with her education.
Abigael is in Grade 8 in junior school (2nd of 3 junior secondary years) and is living under the care of her dad. However, due to financial constraints arising from her family’s situation, her father is unable to pay the necessary school fees to continue her studies. Following the passing of their mother in 2018 after a 3-year battle with cancer, the family’s finances were depleted during the years of medical treatment, pushing them into poverty and making it nearly impossible to afford educational expenses. At the start of this year, the father underwent brain surgery to remove a clot. The surgery was costly and also resulted in the father losing his job. Additionally, the father suffers from an infection diagnosed during the operation, necessitating ongoing medication and monthly clinic visits that adds to the family’s financial burden. Thanks to you, we are able to cover a year of Abigael's school fees to alleviate that burden.
Badiru is a 2nd-year student at university pursuing a degree in Political Science. Badiru and his brother used to play football with GEF beneficiaries. That's when they opened up to a GEF staff member about the challenges they were facing, since then GEF have been supporting him and his younger brother, Mahir, throughout their education.
Cecilia is a 4th-year student at university pursuing a degree course in Business Information Technology. When we first met her Cecilia thought she wasn't going to be able to enroll in high school since her mother was struggling to make ends meet. Your donation will help her complete the remaining year at university.
Risper is a Form 4 student in high school. She sadly lost her dad while in primary school. He was the sole breadwinner and his passing adversely changed the family's standard of living. Her mother was struggling to pay fees for Risper and her siblings. Thanks to the previous sponsor, we were able to support Risper's education up until very recently when the sponsor had to stop, however, we will continue to support her thanks to you while we look for a new monthly sponsor.
Lucy is in Grade 7 of Junior School. Lucy and her siblings had a difficult upbringing while their mother battled an alcohol addiction. They were frequently sent home. When things became too much their grandmother stepped in to live with the children and support them. However, with her age and abilities she is not able to work enough to provide the finances to help fully.
Gavin is in Grade 4 at primary school. A few years ago, they had a very difficult time after their single mum had mental health challenges and went missing for some weeks, leading Gavin and his sister to live temporarily in a rescue centre. When his mum recovered and took both children back to live with her, she didn't have a stable income and GEF stepped in to support them get back on their feet. Your fundraising will also support his education for a full year.

Furniture and Solar Panels

Macous, a young boy in grade 5 of primary school, has been sleeping on a torn cushion on the old sofa. Thanks to Beat the Sun new beds, mattresses and bedding have been provided to the family of 3. It was a journey that took the GEF team 2 hours over a bumpy, dusty road with many valleys - a common occurrence for their small team who are supporting children in 24 different counties. They will soon also equip them with solar power thanks to our generous riders and their supporters - at the moment they have a small rechargeable source that doesn't last long enough in the evening for the children to do their studies. This has and will make a huge impact and uplift the standard of living for Macous and his family.

In addition, GEF will deliver a solar panel to Beatrice, a young girl who recently enrolled in grade 10 in senior school, and her family. Previously, her mum was sheltered at Beatrice's grandmother's house, but they were recently able to build a small house. However, they don't have electricity, and Beatrice had been relying on her grandmother's place to do her assignments. A solar connection will bring huge relief to Beatrice and her mother.

Future Lives: Support for two College Students in Kenya.

James and Irene both have monthly sponsors, however, given the higher level of education it can sometimes become more costly than the £40 per month amount received from a monthly sponsor depending on when they first started supporting the child. In these situations, GEF still want to support them to complete their education and therefore funds from events and fundraisers can help cover these costs to make sure they do not have any difficulties graduating. College can be up to £1,000 per year.

James has now completed the written work for his Diploma in Civil Engineering (Building and Construction) at college and thanks to Beat the Sun he will be supported through an unpaid internship with a road construction company. In 2014, James was the first new child to join the Pavilion Village children's home under GEF support after the charity’s initial visit.

Irene is in the same situation as James where she has finished college studies and is being funded through a 4 month nutrition and dietetics unpaid internship in a hospital. The degree she completed was a Diploma in Nutrition and Dietetics, a career she passionately loves.

Kenya Seminars

This December GEF’s Psychosocial team will hold a seminar for parents and guardians in Karatina. Seminars have played an important role in supporting and guiding children and their families through life's challenges since the early days of GEF. This particular seminar will cover topics such as: Understanding children and adolescents; effective communication and listening; positive discipline; respect and boundaries; building children’s confidence; guiding decision-making; managing family conflict; recognizing psychosocial needs; and raising responsible, independent children. All the above topics have been designed given the current situation with our beneficiaries and guardians.

Support Staff Costs

Our fundraising has also enabled GEF to cover four months of salary for 5 service delivery staff in Kenya, without whom the impact we make would be impossible. Without events like Beat the Sun, it is very hard to find funding for this part of the charity.

In August 2025 Stephen and his family lost their home and all their belongings in a devastating fire. In the aftermath, they were separated—moving between neighbours’ and relatives’ homes. Life was already challenging, with both parents battling ill health but, despite everything, Stephen continued to achieve outstanding marks in high school and believes he can help change his family’s future for the better. Thanks to Beat the Sun, GEF has now been able to build a small safe and secure two-bedroom house for Stephen and his parents.
Christine, cared for her grandchildren and children without a stable job, and her family previously lived in a small thatched structure at the side of a road waiting for the government to build them a house that never happened. Her brother had a ½ acre plot of land there which he had planned to give to his child when they grew up but sadly the child passed away. In order to give the family the best chance of a new start, GEF was able to build them a small-ish basic house on the plot and will continue to support the children in their new school. As a result of their move, they have told us they will no longer need support with monthly food as their land will provide them with all they need. This is brilliant, and ultimately the place we hope every family can get to. Beat the Sun riders helped this happen.
Beat the Sun 2025 funded 1 year of salaries for 2 social workers in Kenya.
Thanks to Beat the Sun 2025, 4 months’ salaryhas been provided for GEF’s part-time North-East Scotland support co-ordinator who does an array of vital work including signposting, spending time with families, and taking them places.
Beat the Sun enabled GEF to fund a reinforced, extra durable bed designed for children with autism and other additional needs who may have challenging behaviours. The bed is designed to be virtually indestructible to prevent harm and create a secure and calm sleep environment for the child it has been purchased for. This was a new application we had in recently and thanks to you guys we were able to act fast to help this family.
Beat the Sun supported 23-year old Mohammed to attend college where he is in year 2 studying electrical engineering. Mohammed and his twin brother were left orphaned at a young age following the death of their parents in a road accident and due to illness in close succession. They were left in the care of their uncle who provided them with food and shelter but was unable to afford their education costs.
Separately you have supported 18 years old Joseph in his final year of college, studying Motor Vehicle Technology. In 2014, Joseph lost both his parents. At just 8 years old, he was sleeping on polythene sheets and sharing a cramped space with his brother and partner. Thanks to the support of the GEF community, everything changed in changed 2015, when we were able to provide him with a home that would provide him with safety and stability. Today Joseph’s hard work is paying off and he excited for his promising future as a mechanic.
Mohammed and Joseph are two of the 50 children GEF currently support without a monthly sponsor. These cases are possible for us to support because of fundraisers, grants and kind donations like yourself.
A psychoeducation seminar for parents and guardians supported by GEF, will aim to strengthen parenting responsibility, emotional connection, and understanding of children’s psychological needs. The seminar will also empower parents and guardians to take greater emotional and financial responsibility and provide more supportive home environments. As a result, families are expected to experience improved relationships, reduced dependency on external aid, and better coping mechanisms among children.

We will also conduct a Sexual and Reproductive Health session for children in Turkana in the first quarter of 2026, focusing on body awareness, healthy relationships, and the prevention of early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections. The session will also include training on the use and care of reusable sanitary pads, promoting menstrual hygiene management and reducing school absenteeism among girls.