Killing two birds with one stone, a Toronto resident is fulfilling his dream of cycling across Canada while raising money for something he believes in.

Donning a bright yellow and orange jersey that reads Cycle 4 SchoolBOX, Ilan Levy is cycling 8,000 kilometres across Canada, battling heavy rain, gusty winds and steep terrain to raise $100,000 to build classrooms and provide children in Nicaragua with school supplies.

“When we were introduced to SchoolBOX, we were interested in what they were doing because my wife and I had been very focused on education,” he said. “A light bulb went on and I thought, instead of just riding for fun, I could ride and raise funds.”

With 3,500 kilometres down and 4,500 kilometres more to go, Cycle 4 SchoolBOX has raised approximately $30,000 so far.

SchoolBOX’s Communication Manager Jonathan Tam says that just a few dollars could potentially change the lives of children in Nicaragua.

“The level of disposable income there isn’t what it is in Canada,” said Tam. “A few dollars worth of school supplies could be a huge barrier to education.”