Thirty five rural school children received new and nearly new bikes thanks to the Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge Muskoka Lakes and Orillia. The bikes were presented to the kids at the ground breaking event for the Bakong Technical School (a Rotary District 7070 supported project).Lisa McCoy of Gravenhurst Rotary, a retired library worker, who volunteers in Cambodia for 5+ months a year, is the driver of the Bike Project. The bikes, with chain guards, fenders, front baskets, rear carriers, bell, tire generator light, and cable lock cost from $30 to $40 locally sourced and delivered to the rural community. One size fits all!
Local school administrators gave Lisa and her helpers, mature scholarship students from Project Enlighten, a list of needy students who are vetted by a written application followed by an interview and home visit to verify needs and circumstances. The proud new bike owners are in public schools in the Siem Reap and Bakong districts of central Cambodia. The donors will all receive a picture of the new bike and its new owner from Lisa’s team.
The bike becomes the primary means of family transportation. The new bikes take little sisters and brothers, moms and dads to school and market. The bikes are crossovers (or girls bikes in old terminology) so even if you are barely higher than the handle bars of a 30 inch wheel bike you can stand to ride until you grow into the bike.
The roads, lanes and pathways are full of bikes at dawn, midday and again at 5 pm. No car rides to school here! School is 6 days a week and many schools have two shifts.
There are lots more deserving kids who would like bikes. By the end of January, Lisa will have distributed over 140 bikes in many communities through Cambodia. If you or friends or clubs want help donate one or more bikes check out Lisa’s Blog www.thebikeproject.blockspot.com
Anne and Bob Fisher
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