26 February 2010
	REAL PEOPLE DOING UNREAL THINGS Stuff it, let's rough it By Zohra Mohamed

People have been known to accomplish apparently impossible feats in the name of a noble cause. However, travelling around the world in a tractor towing a Harley-Davidson must rank among the more bizarre. Canadian-born Tony Psaila (49), who now lives in Howick in KwaZulu Natal, hopes his seven-year journey, which begins in June this year, will raise US$1m for victims of violence and rape. He estimates the cost of the trip to be around R1,3m, which he will mainly pay for himself with support from sponsors and his fund-raising drive. His trip on his trusted vintage Ferguson tractor will start in Howick and take in Australia, New Zealand, South and Central America, the US, Canada, Russia, Mongolia and Western Europe. An avid taxidermist and a single father of two adult sons, he says his idea of circumventing the world on his tractor was born after he was injured in an armed robbery, shortly after emigrating to SA nine years ago to set up his company, Spirit of Africa Taxidermy. "I was left traumatised and had a yearning to do something to help other people who were affected by violence and rape. After meeting Jes Foord, the young gang-rape survivor from Hillcrest [who is also involved in supporting others], I felt the plight of these survivors; men, women and children needed more attention and recognition of their courage," he says. On his first trip, over one month in 2006, he travelled around SA on his tractor from the town of Beit Bridge, on the Zimbabwean border. He raised R100 000 for the Midlands Crisis & Trauma Centre in Howick, as well as making appeals to donate blood to the SA National Blood Service. Encouraged by the public support, the man nicknamed "Tony Tractor" sold his taxidermy company, enlisted help to restore his vintage tractor and had it fitted with a tent in preparation for his world challenge. The addition of his Harley-Davidson, he says, is intended to appeal to the millions of Harley fans around the world. Psaila believes passionately that his journey will achieve international awareness for victims of violence. He points out that Virgin founder Richard Branson achieved a lot without a great deal of education, and so can he achieve his goal, despite having dropped out of school at 15. He cites his main inspiration as these words from American anthropologist Margaret Mead : "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."