Print Head: Land Rover continues partnership with Kingsley Holgate Foundation
Print Subhead: Two new Defender 130 models to serve aid efforts
Pull quote: “The Kingsley Holgate Foundation Defenders will also benefit from several optional items, including a raised air intake for dust filtration, a black roof rack and roof ladder ..."
Land Rover will continue its long-standing partnership with Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s humanitarian, handing over two new Defender 130 models for aid efforts.
The Kingsley Holgate Foundation’s work is primarily focused on malaria prevention, alongside broader humanitarian and conservation initiatives in remote regions.
According to the World Health Organisation’s latest Malaria report, global malaria cases increased by 11-million in recent years, with 95% of these cases concentrated in African countries. Most malaria-related deaths are among young children and pregnant women, who are most vulnerable to the dreaded disease.
“Every member of our expedition team has contracted malaria in the past, so we know first-hand how life-threatening it is and how difficult it is to eradicate, especially in remote regions where healthcare facilities are scarce,” said Kingsley Holgate.
“It has thus become our personal mission to use our journeys to save and improve lives, and we thank Defender for powering these drives.”
The foundation’s recent Greater Gorongosa Expedition serves as a powerful example. The team distributed high-quality insecticide-treated mosquito nets and provided vital malaria prevention education to an estimated 3,000 mothers and children in Mozambique.
Beyond malaria, the expedition also provided eye tests and reading glasses to hundreds of poor-sighted, mostly elderly people. Furthermore, more than 1,000 schoolchildren participated in the Foundation’s wildlife education programme, which uses art and soccer to explain the importance of conserving wildlife and natural habitats for the benefit of all.
The expedition was powered by the same two Defender 130s that successfully traversed 22 African countries during the gruelling 62,000km Afrika Odyssey Expedition, finishing their tenure with the Kingsley Holgate Foundation with close to 93,000 kilometres on the clock.
The new vehicles are Defender 130 models in Outbound trim. Available exclusively with five seats, the 130 Outbound offers up to 2,516l of luggage space with the second row of seats folded. The nearly flat loadspace floor is poised to easily accommodate all the necessary supplies, gear and, most critically, the aid material to be distributed.
The Kingsley Holgate Foundation Defenders will also benefit from several optional items, including a raised air intake for dust filtration, a black roof rack and roof ladder for easy access to additional overhead stowage space for the crew’s extra gear, as well as the iconic black side-mounted gear carriers for storing wet or muddy items.
Underbody protection plates have been optioned to safeguard critical drivetrain components. A winch and integrated compressor will aid recoveries and tyre pressure adjustments.
