Help Give Cambodian Young Adults Independence

There is no other bike ride in the world quite like this one – where else would you see sunrise, paddy fields, monks, cows, water buffalo, elephants, cyclos, tandems, Japanese tourists and of course the wonderful temples of the Angkor Wat complex. 

With some 400 entrants this was the fifth year that the race had been held and the second year for HOPE to enter a team, this year 40 Cambodian young adults.  With your help we were able to give many a first time experience, taking part in such an event.

For that group of underprivileged youths living around Siem Reap, this was their chance to put weeks of training into practice, and help others in two ways; a large part of the entrance fee goes to Village Focus who are helping rural projects and HOPE was able to promote the event and raise further funds which in turn allows us to extend the reach to harness more opportunities for play and education projects in Cambodia.  

During 2010 we have been able to do just that extending our support to two additional Young Adult Programmes in place at different childrens’ centres.  All of our riders are participants or educators/carers in the three HOPE-sponsored programmes in the city. The same city with breathtaking scenery and a slowly growing tourism industry which is also witness to high rates of poverty and a vast number of different childrens’ centres and orphanages.

HOPE has been involved in the young adult field for just a couple of years and having kick started its own fund raising back in Europe with a London to Paris sponsored cycle challenge, when the Trustees told some of the young adults about this, they all expressed keenness to take on their own cycling challenge and help HOPE help them and others like them.   

In 2009 we started small with just a few riders from the Sangkheum Centre programme.   It was a great success for those who took part, who then spent many weeks talking endlessly about the race and how much fun it had been to have a goal not to mention being able to work together motivating each other along through training and the race.  So as soon as the date for the 2010 race was known, Cambodia based HOPE trustee Jo Owen set up a weekly training session and London based HOPE trustee Tanya Seeley booked her annual visit (self-funded) to coincide with the ride and got training in the cold!

In the last year HOPE has increased its support to Young Adult Programmes and now helps provide advice and funding to not one but three programmes, so we were delighted to have riders from Sangkheum Centre, Salarrin Kampuchea and Anjali House, all providing much needed education and support to many children growing up in the shadows of the great temple city.

The ride starts at 6am, just as it is beginning to get light, so we have to get there in the dark (another 8kms) and try to get organised in the dark –this is much easier for the Cambodians who are more used to early starts and lack of light, than it is for Trustees Jo and Tanya!  The backdrop for the start is surely one of the most amazing temples, Angkor Wat, there is nothing more inspirational. We highly recommend a visit, with or without bicycle.

The 30km route takes you past most of the major temples in the complex including Bayon (the temple with many carved faces) and in the first half an hour you are treated to watching sunrise in one of the most peaceful places on earth.  As the ride progresses you are cheered on by many of the small local children, all with the compulsory Cambodian smile.

You didn’t have to win the race to be a winner, anyone who got up at 4.30 cycled in the dark to get to the start line and then cycle for 30km around the temples has to be a winner.  Our photos speak for themselves) you can see for yourself everyone was glad to have been part of this fantastic event.

Training sessions on Sunday are continuing, a great way for the young adults from different projects to mix, see more of their countryside and get some exercise (and a break from studying).  We will be back next year – we think we will have even more riders. Come join us in 2011 – usually the first weekend in December.

On the following day the Sangkheum Centre young adults cooked dinner for HOPEs trustees at their transition home.  13 young adults living together learning to take the first steps towards independence.  It was a fantastic night as we saw how these children we have known for 4 years have blossomed into responsible, confident and  ambitious young adults.  

Thank you for your support to help us make a difference.