Earlier than his first journey to Kashmir on a Royal Enfield bike in 2019, journey vlogger Muhammed Dilshad from Chelambra, Malappuram had donned many roles— from a bus boy to a parcel lorry driver. Nevertheless, his foray into YouTube began as a type of journaling, the place the 29-year-old traveller may share the experiences of his 45 days of journey which developed into the YathraToday YouTube channel which at present has 907K subscribers and over 153 million views.
In 2021, Dilshad determined to journey to Africa on his bike after a cancelled South Asian journey following the pandemic which pressured him to return from the Myanmar border. He lined 14 nations on this African journey. Nevertheless, extra importantly, he confronted many realities he had “solely seen in images earlier than. I noticed individuals strolling lengthy distances with a yellow drum on their shoulders to gather water. I felt helpless,” says Dilshad over a telephone from Qatar. “I determined that if I ever returned, I’d convey a 4×4 car, and dig at the least 10 wells in Africa,” says Dilshad, who has now constructed 14 wells after returning to the continent for a second time in 2023 as a part of a tour by means of Asia, Africa and Europe.
Dilshad has lined 4 nations on this journey — Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Mozambique. Throughout his travels, he has encountered unfamiliar tribal traditions, civil wars and a number of run-ins with authorities and far more.
Muhammed Dilshad in Chingola Zambia
| Photograph Credit score:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
In June 2024, Dilshad constructed the primary effectively in Mombasa, Kenya whereas he was laying low until protests in opposition to the brand new Kenya Finance Invoice subsided. “We had been in hiding for a number of days there. Whereas we had been there, we noticed individuals lining up at a ditch to gather soiled water. That’s once we determined we must always dig the primary effectively there,” says Dilshad who was travelling along with his buddy Fazal. With the assistance of the locals, he constructed a waterhole at an expense of round ₹10,000, he says.
Dilshad considers digging a effectively at a authorities college in Makazi Mapya village in Tanzania one of many highlights of his journey. It took 25 days for completion. “That space is barely elevated and it’s troublesome to get water up there. Round 500 households needed to make do with two small wells after one other one was walled in by a personal firm,” he says. Dilshad was sceptical of discovering water in such a spot and instructed the headmaster that he would dig as much as 10 metres and if there have been no indicators of water, then they must drop the undertaking as Dilshad’s visa was about to run out.
“We received water after digging for 12 days,” says Dilshad. “Earlier, college students needed to journey for 1.5 kilometres to gather water every single day and it turned the final interval of their class.”
“As quickly because the water began flowing out by means of the faucets, kids got here pouring out of their school rooms. However as an alternative of operating in the direction of the faucets, they got here to me, embraced me crying,” recollects Dilshad. “Their fathers and grandfathers who studied on this college additionally needed to fetch water. They now not should do it.”
Muhammed Dilshad in Makazi Mapya village, Tanzania
| Photograph Credit score:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
As he was about to cross the border to Zambia, Dilshad was stopped by the emigration authority of Tanzania and questioned for constructing a effectively at a authorities college. “They had been very sceptical about my actions and the varsity headmaster had to supply an evidence in order that they’d let me go.”
The effectively value round ₹2 lakh , says Dilshad. “For them, it’s a giant sum. So, they’d moderately journey that far to gather the water, than construct a effectively.”
“For a journey like this, the income from YouTube would solely cowl round 50% of the associated fee,” says Dilshad. “We have now to seek out sponsors. Some corporations may take up the gasoline prices, spare components for the jeep and so forth.”
Selecting a jeep helped Dilshad management bills. “Transporting a motorcycle or jeep prices the identical with the cost for a carnet passport (a world customs and short-term export-import doc) being comparable for each,” he says. “With a jeep, you’ll be able to sleep inside it. I’ve made provisions to cook dinner as effectively, contemplating how troublesome it’s to discover a resort in Africa.”
Dilshad is about to journey to Uganda later in February the place he plans to dig 5 wells. He hopes to cowl Africa by June and goes to proceed travelling by means of Europe for the second leg of this journey after a brief trip within the US.
Revealed – February 11, 2025 01:36 pm IST
