Shades of Life Foundation has expanded its Ride4Autism initiative awareness campaign from Lagos, Nigeria to Benin Republic, to unite communities across West African borders in a call for inclusion, acceptance, and support for individuals living with autism.
Ride4Autism is an initiative designed to break barriers, foster dialogue, and amplify the voices of families and individuals affected by autism. The campaign, now in its fifth year, with the West Africa edition in its third year, underscores the importance of celebrating neurodiversity and dismantling stigma across West Africa.
‘Autism knows no borders. By extending our work to the Benin Republic, we are building bridges of understanding and ensuring that every child, regardless of background, has the opportunity to thrive,’ Eziafakaku Nwokolo, founder and CEO of Shades of Life Care Limited and Shades of Life Foundation, stated.
Shades of Life Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to ensuring that neurodivergent individuals and people with related developmental disabilities live life to their full potential. The Foundation announced the third edition of its flagship awareness campaign, Ride4Autism West Africa 3.0: Embracing Difference, scheduled for August 18 to 21st, 2026.
According to Nwokolo, the expansion marks a significant step in the foundation’s mission to foster inclusion, understanding, and empowerment across West Africa. She added that the #Ride4Autism cyclists will be riding from Lagos, Nigeria, to Benin Republic and back, spending two nights in Ouidah and one night in Grand-Popo.
She disclosed that this year’s ride aims to embrace difference, reflecting the foundation’s continued commitment to expanding autism awareness and education beyond borders towards building a more inclusive West Africa.
‘Ride4Autism is more than a cycling event; it is a movement of hope, resilience, and unity. By riding across borders, Shades of Life Foundation is reminding society that autism knows no boundaries, and acceptance must be universal,’ Nwokolo stated.