My Ride Africa Challenge How Maxon supports my endeavor to have a positive impact on society.
I have been a freelance developer for various companies for more than 20 years and Maxon is one of my oldest clients. Working on the Cinema 4D development team was the most fun for me, and seeing what our users were able to accomplish with our tools and the virtual worlds they created was always amazing.
After many years of freelancing, I became a Maxon employee. Working for Maxon has always felt like family and working with friends. The company offers a lot of opportunities to continue your education, get involved with new things, and master a wide variety of challenges. I also like that there are several innovation events each year where you can explore your own ideas.
But what all employees have in common is a deep passion for developing the best tools for 2D and 3D. You can feel that motivation and it's just great to be part of the team. This year, I chose to participate in a challenge outside Maxon and the digital realm.
The program is a powerful offering that has a positive impact on society. My challenge, Ride Africa, was organized by Child.org, and it is inspiring to know that Maxon actively supports such initiatives. In fact, during my own fundraising effort, Maxon generously contributed GBP 500.
Ride Africa is a cycling route of about 500 kilometers from Nairobi to Mombasa. A friend and I decided to participate together, attempting to train for the ride in advance. Though we didn’t meet our training goals, we headed off on the adventure on November 10, 2023, starting with a 22-hour journey to Nairobi by flight, car, and bus. Soon after arrival we met the Child.org support crew and other riders who came from London, Dublin, Romania, and Washington D.C.
The ride took us through Amboseli National Park where we enjoyed the stunning views of Kenya's wildlife. With the first heavy rain, we had to change our plan and cycle through villages where we experienced a big contrast between poverty and the digital world. The next days brought more challenges with weather determining our way, but the amazing cycling group and the support crew made it an unforgettable experience.
The final stretch from Malindi to Mombasa saw heavy rains, which affected the road conditions, but we eventually reached our destination. The remaining time was spent celebrating, discussing Child.org projects, playing games, and relishing our achievements.
All in all, the cycling adventure included warm bathing sessions in the Indian Ocean, spontaneous volleyball games, snacks, food, and fantastic coffee breaks, as well as discovering more wildlife than we could imagine. We also enjoyed the most picturesque landscapes you could ever see.
The journey was full of emotions, excitement, some pain, and a lot of fun. I’ll never forget the experience, which shows you can achieve wonderful things together, even with a small team. I’ll continue to accept new challenges and support organizations like Child.org, and I’ll keep working to make all worlds, including the world of 3D, better.