From Guinea to Egypt: the fabulous cycling journey of a young Guinean to join Al-Azhar

Driven by a powerful faith in God who gives wings and could have led him to China to satisfy his thirst for Knowledge, Mamadou Safaiou Barry drove breathlessly across Africa to reach his supreme destination.

Poor but full of resources, this young 25-year-old Guinean student did not hesitate to hop on a second-hand bike, the perfect mount in his eyes, much more affordable than a plane ticket, to achieve his dearest dream: to reach the mythical city of Cairo, in order to study Islamic theology at the prestigious University of Al-Azhar.

Driven by an unwavering will, equipped with a few clothes, a flashlight and a screwdriver, the formidable Mamadou Safaiou Barry pedaled madly for more than 4,000 kilometers, on all roads and in all weathers, until he forgot his fatigue and his injured feet, with one goal: to enter the Holy of Holies of Sunni Islam and obtain a scholarship to perfect his knowledge in Islamic sciences.

At the end of four long months, full of encounters and adventures, during which he pushed his own limits on the path that God had traced for him, the young Guinean student had the pleasure of granting his most ardent wish.

Author of a fabulous journey which commands the admiration of everyone in Egypt, Mamadou Safaiou Barry, overwhelmed by emotion, proclaims it forcefully: “ If you have a dream, never give up and be strong. God will help you.”