Rotary Wheels for Learning

CottageCountryNow Article: Local Rotary clubs deliver bikes to Cambodian kids

2012-02-22T08:10:00.000-08:00

CottageCountryNow Article: Local Rotary clubs deliver bikes to Cambodian kids

Surpassing Our Goal - 1097 Bicycles Distributed in Cambodia by Rotarians and Friends!

2012-02-05T03:24:00.000-08:00

During the month of January 2012, 1097 Bicycles were distributed to needy school children in Cambodia – Thanks to the amazing efforts of our team of 19 Rotarians and Friends and all the Rotary Clubs and individual donors who supported the cause with their donations.

Our 19 Rotarians and Friends came from the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst Rotary Clubs, District 7010, Ontario, Canada. The bicycles were distributed through the Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL) program of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

Our Team of Rotarians, Friends & Local Volunteers

Many other local organizations and volunteers were involved in this huge undertaking including:

Rotary Club of Battambang, Cambodia, District 3350

Banyan Learning Tree http://banyanlearningtree.blogspot.com/

Cambodian Red Cross

Free the Bears http://www.freethebears.org.au/

People Improvement Organization (PIO) http://peopleimprovement.org/

Our RWFL Cambodia 2012 Team distributed bicycles in the following areas:

300 Bicycles in North Phnom Sampov village, Aek Phnom village, Thma Koul Primary School and Setoup Commune in Battambang province.

300 Bicycles in Koh Kralor district, including Takou Primary School.

197 Bicycles in Prokeab village, Takeo province.

110 Bicycles in Bakot village, Takeo province.

100 Bicycles to area children near Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary and Rescue Centre

90 Bicycles to PIO children living near the Stung Meanchey garbage dump area in Phnom Penh.

Rotarian Lisa McCoy with Students at PIO School
Located on Outskirts of Phnom Penh Dump

Our Cambodia 2012 Trip gave participants the opportunity to be actively involved in the bicycle distribution process:

Preparing Bicycles for distribution – Affixing the baskets, pedals, bells, lamps and Rotary decals to the bikes, as well as pumping up the tires, adjustments and minor repairs.

Rotarians & Friends Working Under the Brutal Cambodian Sun!

Each participant personally presented bicycles to the child and had their photo taken with them.

Stephanie Boag Present a Bicycle -
One of 100 Distributed at Tamao

It wasn’t all about bicycles either! – Our Team brought over suitcases of donated items that were distributed throughout our bicycle distribution locations. Many thanks to Barbara Seagram, Patti Lee and their Bridge Group from Toronto for their many donated items.

Hundreds of tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes were given out at some of our bike distributions! Trip team member Walter Ried (retired dentist) and local Cambodian Dentist Khom Pisal teamed up to give invaluable dental hygiene education sessions to hundreds of children and their families.

The Rotary Clubs of Bracebridge and Gravenhurst also provided one ton of rice each to village areas in Battambang province. This was distributed through the Rotary Club of Battambang’s Rice Program. We immensely enjoyed our fellowship volunteering alongside Battambang Club members for two days, and feasting together at our gala poolside dinner.

We were treated as VIPs at many of the distribution locations – grand ceremonies had been planned by local officials and schools thanking Rotary for their educational support through the provision of bicycles to school children lacking this necessary transportation to get to School.

Roatarians & Friends at Bicycle Distribution Ceremony
100 Bicycles for Children Living Near
Tamao Wildlife Sanctuary & Rescue Centre

What a great opportunity is was to show ‘Rotary at Work’ in many rural impoverished areas that had never heard of Rotary before!

During our 19-day trip around the central portion of the country, we saw many of Cambodia’s famed sites including: Angkor Wat, Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, the Choueng Ek Killing Fields and the Royal Palace. There was lots of shopping at local markets for everything including beautiful Cambodian silk, carvings and tourist fare!

Visiting the Famed Temples at Angkor Wat

You, or your group of Friends, can join our January Cambodia 2013 RWFL Bicycle Distribution Trip! Email us for further details at: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com . Your donation of $50 will provide a child with needed transportation for education.

Team Members Rick Hunter, Susan Montgomery, Janice Hayhurst, Walter Ried, Margaret Walton
and Keith Montgomery with Children at Prokeab Village, Takeo Province

907 Bicycles Distributed by Rotary Wheels for Learning Cambodia Team 2012!

2012-01-17T06:02:00.000-08:00

Over the past five days, our team of 19 Rotarians and Friends from the Bracebridge and Gravenhurst Rotary Clubs have prepared and distributed another 307 bicycles here in Takeo province – making our grand total so far: 907 Bicycles!

110 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

Children's Names are Called - All Line Up to Sign their Forms and Receive Their Bikes

Teachers Assist In Lining Up the Bicycle Students at Wat Vihear Kpous Primary School

^{On January 14^{th and 15th, our team distributed 197 bicycles to needy, rural students in Prokeab village, Trapeang Thum Commune in Takeo District. This distribution took place at the Banyan Learning Tree Centre there.}
Today, 110 bicycles sponsored by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst , Ontario, District 7010, were given out to students at Wat Vihear Kpous Primary School in Bakot village, Leaybo Commune, Takeo district. Some of the bicycles given out were for students from this school who have gone on to secondary school. Secondary schools are few and far between. Once a student passes grade six, their need for a bicycle is even greater.}

Boys Admire Their RWFL Bicycles

Happy to Have a Bike to Get to School!

You Tube videos of this distribution can be seen at:

http://youtu.be/vzHMOafn4zc 907 of 1097 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles Distributed in Cambodia

!http://youtu.be/CaEWOpDfPa8 Students Sign Forms Before Receiving Their Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles

A big thanks goes to Banyan Learning Tree local volunteers Om Chamnap, Chea Socheat and Phearom Noun for all their efforts in organizing these Takeo distributions – we could not have done it without their hours of hard work coordinatination.

Local Volunteer Socheat Chea Helps a Girl to Sign her Form

In Takeo, our team also enjoyed some time off, which included a village market tour and cooking class and canal boat rides to visit the Angkor Borey Temple and Museum.

Tomorrow, we head by bus to Sihanoukville, Cambodia to enjoy a well-deserved beach break for three days. Then, it’s back to Phnom Penh for two final distributions.

Students are Really Proud to Show Off Their Rotary Bikes!

600 of 1087 Rotary Bicycles Distributed in Rural Cambodia!

2012-01-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

It has been a whirlwind four days for our team of Rotarians from the Bracebridge, Gravenhurst (Ontario, Canada) and Battambang (Cambodia) Rotary Clubs!

With the combined efforts of these three Rotary Clubs, and with help from the Cambodian Red Cross, 600 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles have been distributed to needy rural children throughout several districts in Battambang Province, Cambodia.

Our team of 19 Rotarians and Friends arrived in Cambodia the first week of January 2012. They spent a few days adjusting to the time and temperature changes and then enjoyed a few days visiting some of the national sites in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap including the famed Angkor Wat temples.

Rotarians and Friends at Angkor Wat Sunrise

Then, it was off to Battambang to get down to the task at hand - providing rural, needy children with the necessary transportation to get to school.
In the week prior to their arrival, 600 bicycles had been shipped to several locations in Battambang province. When our team arrived at these locations, hours were spent putting all the pedals, baskets and lamps on the bikes. Many were fine-tuned by our team as well.

At the distribution locations, children were provided with Dental Hygiene Education led by Cambodian dentist Dr. Khom Pisal and our Rotarian Dentist Dr. Walter Ried. Toothpaste and Toothbrushes were provided to all the children.

At two locations, a ton of rice was provided to impoverished rural families - a total of 200, 10kg bags of rice were distributed - a project led on the ground by the Rotary Club of Battambang with help and sponsorship by the Rotary Clubs of Gravenhurst and Bracebridge.

At two school locations, donations of school supplies and clothing were provided for the schools and for HIV-infected children and families. Thanks to the many individuals, Rotarians and Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram and their Toronto Bridge Groups for their donated items.

Here follow photos of some of the Rotary Clubs who donated towards this amazing, combined Rotary Endeavor! Thanks to all for keeping the Rotary Wheels rolling!

Our team is off to Takeo province tomorrow, where we begin to prepare for our next distributions - 300 more Bicycles!

Watch our progress on You Tube:

http://youtu.be/LEiCwbKP_JM Rotarians Enjoy a Cambodian Village Cooking Class
http://youtu.be/FURCYEDt8rc Rotary Wheels for Learning Cambodia 2012 Team Distributes 190 Bicycles in Takeo Province
http://youtu.be/vd7t3bee5j4 New Library and Rotary Wheels for Learning prepares for a distribution of 190 Bicycles in Takeo province, Cambodia
http://youtu.be/gL8qZwvzH14 240 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles Distributed in Battambang province Cambodia

5 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Willowdale

10 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Orillia-Lake Country

10 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Barrie-Kempenfelt

20 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Huntsville

President Nouv Saroeun of the Battambang Rotary Club
Presents a Rotary Bicycle to a Child at Aek Phnom Village

22 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Washago

32 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Barrie-Huronia

40 Bicycles Sponosred by the Rotary Club of Aurora

President Linda Brouilette of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge
Presents one of 40 Bicycles Distributed at a Grand Ceremony
at Thma Koul School in Battambang province

50 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mississauga-Lakeshore

55 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mississauga-Dixie

125 Bicycles Sponsored by the Rotary Club of Bracebridge

Bracebridge Rotary President Recieves a Certificate of Thanks for
the Donation of 100 Rotary Bicycles
from Teachers and Commune Leader
at Takou Primary School, Koas Krala, Battambang

Donna Ried Gives Clothing and School Supplies to
and HIV-infected student at Thma Koul School

On the Bus with Dr. Khom Pisal and Battambang Rotarians

Rotarians, Dentists and our Local Team Member Socheat Chea
Prepare for a distribution of 300 Toothbrushes and Toothpaste at
our Bicycle Distribution in Setoup Commune, Rotonak Mondol District, Battambang

Rotarians and Friends Travel over Rough Roads by Tractor Taxi
to Reach Takou Primary School to
Distribute 100 Rotary Bicycles

Some of the 100 Students at Takou Primary School that received
Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles

There's More than One Way to Carry Home a Rotary Bag of Rice!

Rotarian Walter Ried Teaches the Right Way to Brush :-)

One of the Two Tons of Rice Sopnsored by the Rotary Clubs of Gravenhurst and Bracebridge.

Rotarians & Friends Ride the Rails of the Battambang Bamboo Train
after a day's work putting together 200 Rotary Bicycles

1087 RWFL Bicycles to be Distributed to Cambodian Children!

2011-12-28T15:47:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to all the Rotary Clubs and individuals across Ontario and beyond who have contributed and put tremendous efforts into raising well over $40,000 that will provide bicycles to needy, rural students here in Cambodia.

In five days, the first of our Rotary Wheels for Learning 2012 Cambodia Team will arrive here in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Team members include Rotarians and Friends Dave and Linda Brouilette, Keith and Susan Montgomery, Peter and Jan Rickard, Walter and Donna Reid, Steve and Janice Hayhurst, Ron and Margaret Walton, Rick and Cheryl Hunter, Ruth Bell-Towns, Michaela Korb, Naomi Hickey-Humble, Stephanie Boag and myself.

Bicyles will be distributed to two districts in Battambang with the assistance of the Rotary Club of Battambang and the Cambodian Red Cross. Three districts in Takeo province will also receive bicycles with assistance from Banyan Learning Tree Organization volunteers here in Cambodia.

A special distribution of 87 bicycles will be given out to children living on he outskirts of Stung Mean Chey Dump in Phnom Penh.

The children come from miles around to attend a special school there run by CNN hero Pymean Noun and her organization - People Improvement Organization http://peopleimprovement.org/

We'll be not only personally gving out each of these 1,087 bicycles to the children, but will spend many hours putting the bicycle accessories onto each bike.

As well as bicycles we'll be distributing two tons of rice with Battambang Rotarians. We'll be accompanied in Battambang by Dr. Khom Pisal, who will provide dental hygiene education for the 600 bicycle recipients and their families there. Our Team will be distributing toothbrushes and toothpaste after each education session.

Our RWFL Team will be arriving with many donated items that will be distributed to area schools and children throughout our distribution travels through Cambodia.

At present, we are busy shipping 100 bicycles every three days to each of our target locations where they will be securely stored until our arrival.

You can follow our monumental bicycle distribution by following this blogsite and the special Rotary Wheels for Learning Cambodia 2012 site at:

http://rwflcambodia2012.blogspot.com/

Part of the RWFL Cambodia 2012 Team

RWFL Bicycle Fundraiser Gala - Thurs. Sept. 22nd - 6-9pm Boston Pizza Gravenhurst

2011-08-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS NOW - SEATING IS LIMITED!

Students of St. Brigid Catholic School in Toronto Provide 19 Rotary Bikes for Cambodian Children

2011-08-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

19 Happy Banyan Learning Tree Children with their Rotary Bikes They Received on Aug. 18, 2011.

In the spring of 2011, students at St. Brigid Catholic School in Toronto held a pizza fundraiser - they raised enough money to provide 19 children from Banyan Learning Tree (BLT) School in Cambodia with Rotary Wheels for Learning bicycles! The bicycles were given to the children on Thursday, August 18th by Director Om Chamnap, his wife Mey Setha, and teacher Kong Kea. Many Thanks to all the St. Brigid students and teachers who worked so hard to raise money for these needy Cambodian students.

A big thank you also to Banyan Learning Tree http://banyanlearningtree.blogspot.com and A Mine Free World Foundation http://www.aminefreeworld.org/ for assisting with this Rotary Wheels for Learning bicycle distribution.

Bracebridge Rotarians & Friends Head to Cambodia January 2012 – Help Fund Bicycles for Needy Children!

2011-05-07T08:27:00.000-07:00

Exciting news of our first Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL) Rotarians and Friends Trip to Cambodia to distribute bicycles. RWFL hopes to host yearly bicycle distribution trips to Cambodia where Rotarians can get invovled on the ground.

Linda Brouillette and Michaela Korb of the Rotary Club of Bracebridge, District 7010 have been busy making plans for this 19-day trip that will see bicycles distributed to needy students in four rural districts in Cambodia.

The group of 18 participants will arrive in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on January 4, and together with RWFL field coordinator, Lisa McCoy and her Cambodian volunteers, travel into rural areas to distribute as many bicycles as funding allows.

We’ll be distributing bicycles in rural, impoverished areas with the help of the Cambodian Red Cross, local teachers and members from the newly-chartered Rotary Club of Battambang, Cambodia, District 3350.

We are calling on Rotary Clubs, Rotarians and friends to help us! We want to distribute as many bikes as we can. You can provide a student with a Rotary Bicycle for $50. Donations are tax-receiptable in Canada. Donors will be supplied with a photo and information on their sponsored student taken by our team of Rotarians and Friends.

For more information contact: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com

Donate towards our distribution trip by using the secure PayPal donation link at the top of this page. Be sure to indicate ‘Bracebridge Bicycles’ when donating.

You may also make your donation by cheque to:

‘Rotary Club of Gravenhurst’

Box 888, Gravenhurst, ON, P1P 1V2

In MEMO Field: ‘RWFL – Bracebridge Bicycles’

You can learn more about Rotary Wheels for Learning by booking a presentation for your club or group. Click on the ‘Upcoming Presentations’ tab at the top of the page for information.

13 More Rotary Bicycles Donated by Toronto Bridge Group

2011-03-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

A very happy day again for children at Banyan Learning Tree School as they receive 13 more Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles sponsored by Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram and their Bridge Group from Toronto. This makes a total of 40 Bicycles that their group has donated to date enabling children who live in the surrounding villages to attend this free-education school easily. The small school is located on the outskirts of Phnom Penh and is enthusiastically attended by close to 100 students.

13 Happy Children Provided with Rotary Bicycles Donated by
Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram and the Toronto Bridge Group

Rotary Wheels for Learning is currently raising funds for 75 bicycles for some of the 300 children attending a rural government school in Takeo province. For more information, please email: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com Your donation of $50 will provide a child in rural Cambodia with a bicycle - providing access to education!

Children Help Put Rotary Decals on Bicycles...

Bridge Group from Toronto Distributes Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles in Cambodia

2011-02-23T20:01:00.000-08:00

A Huge thanks to Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram and their Bridge Group from Toronto, Canada for sponsoring and helping to distribute 40 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicyles for children at Banyan Learning Tree School on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram, Marney Charles and Neil Burnham from the group came to the school and helped distribute 27 of these bicycles plus dental supplies, school supplies, digital cameras, lice combs and clothes for needy area children. We all had a great time!

Since the February distribution of 25 bicycles that their group distributed, their group has raised funds for a further 13 bicycles that will be given to needy Banyan Learning Tree area children this March. What an amazing contribution towards access to education this group has made!

Patti Lee, Neil Burnham, Barbara Seagram and Marney Charles
with their donation of 25 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles

The Bridge Group has been on a luxurious Mekong riverboat cruise through Vietnam and Cambodia. With extra suitcases full of these donations, they docked at Phnom Penh harbor the evening of February 21st and the following morning at 8:30am, two tuk tuks, including our volunteer Vanthon, picked up our eager visitors and we all made the hot, half-hour journey to Banyan Learning Tree School.

Banyan Learning Tree School (BLT) is a Cambodian registered Free-Education School located in Borey Kamakor village - not far from the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. You will pass the BLT sign on the road on the way to the Killing Fields. BLT is supported by non-governmental organizations. It has free hour-long classes through-out the day teaching English Literacy, Dental Hygiene and Basic Sanitation.

The school has only been operating a year now, but already there are 75 children attending throughout the day. Many come from several surrounding villages and walk quite a way to attend. There are also students who can't attend because they don't have a bicycle.

Patti Lee Being Followed by Cambodia Channel 5!

It was quite at sight to arrive at this small school and see the welcome banner, Rotary Bicycles, many happy children, parents and a TV Camera!! This distribution was recorded for Cambodia Channel 5.

The welcome banner in blue was made by the children...each white letter cut out by hand. I had visited the school the day before and saw the teachers and children frantically working away on all the preparations.

These were the first international visitors the school has ever had!

The Bicycle Distribution Ceremony was filled with speeches given by everyone - even a student representative spoke both in Khmer and English thanking the Bridge Group and Rotary. Special Cambodian Guest of Honor was Mr. Voek Samoeun, Chief of Sangkat Dangkor in district/Khan Dangkor, Phnom Penh.

Part of the ceremony also included the opening of a small library at the school for the children - sponsored by Robena Kirton of Gravenhurst, Ontario.

Many thanks to Banyan Learning Tree Director Om Chamnap for his warm welcome to our friends from Toronto and for providing one of the most heart-warming Rotary Bicycle Distributions yet!

Director Om Chamnap Teaching Dental Hygiene with New Library in Background

Rotary Wheels for Learning is now looking for sponsors for our Phase 4 Distribution - 75 bicycles for needy children at a remote government school in Takeo province. Wat Vihear Kpous Primary School has over 300 children, the majority of which don't have a bicycle and walk miles to attend school six days-a-week.

You can sponsor one ($50), or more, of these children with a bicycle and receive a Canadian tax receipt for your donation. You'll also get a photo of your sponsored child with their Rotary Bicycle. You can donate using our PayPal portal at the top of this page, or by cheque - see our About RWFL Tab at the top of this site.

Cambodian Rotarians help to Distribute 70 More Rotary Bikes in Battambang District!

2011-02-06T22:50:00.000-08:00

Be sure to visit our new 'Upcoming Presentations' tab at the top of this page!

Many thanks to President Nouv Saroeun, and Kuy Samrithy and Fellow-Rotarians from the -chartered Rotary Club of Battambang, Cambodia, District 3350, for spending the morning helping to distribute 70 Rotary Wheels for Learning bicycles to needy children at the Koas Krala district office of the Cambodian Red Cross. Another big thank you to Sopheany Chhoeun, Ben Sida and Lueung Deun from the Cambodian Red Cross here who put so much effort into identifying and rounding-up all the Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycle recipients. It's a huge job to get 70 children from from villages around the district to show up at a specific time on a specific date! Many of the children's families don't have phones or transportation - I can truly appreciate the momumental scope of this task.

Sopheany Chhoeun, Lisa McCoy and President Nouv Saroeun of
The Rotary Club of Battambang

Rotarians Samrithy, Lisa and President Nouv
with a Rotary bicycle Recipient

Sopheany and I left Battambang at 6am yesterday morning to accompany the truckload of bicycles to Koas Krala - some 50km away. We made it to Koas Krala by 8:30am to an eagerly awaiting group of children and families from all over the district. The Rotarians from Battambang had arrived just ahead of us and as soon as the truck arrived behind us, everyone helped to unload the bicycles and put the Rotary decals on the frames.

It was a truly wonderful experience for me to distribute bicycles for these children alongside Rotarians from Cambodia!

Once we had the bicycles all set up it was time for speeches. Every one of us gave a speech, but it was most meaningful to have Rotarians from Cambodia tell the rural people in their own language the ideals of Rotary and its dedication to providing help to people and children such as themselves.

Battambang Rotarian Kuy Samrithy Explains the Ideals of Rotary to Rural Children & their Families

As the speeches were being given, it was so heartwarming to catch sight of what was going on out in the yard where all the bicycles were - landmine survivors who had received bicycle repair kits from The Rotary Club of Etobicoke and The Canadian Landmine Foundation (through A Mine Free World Foundation) had all come to help put the baskets, lamps and pedals on the bicycles! Their way of 'giving back' for what had been given to them!

Landmine Survivor Nil Noy Helps a Child Put Accessories on His Bike

Once the speeches were over, it did not take long for us Rotarians to get a 'Bicycle Distribution Assembly Line' going. Sopheany and Samrithy had the children sign the donor forms. Then the children took their forms to a Red Cross volunteer, where they were assigned a bicycle. After that, they were sent to President Nouv and I where we documented and photographed the children. We had the 70 bicycles distributed in record time!

Once the distribution was completed, all of us - Rotarians and Red Cross Volunteers - went out for a celebratory lunch at my favorite village restaurant in Koas Krala.

Another huge thanks goes to the Rotary Club Of Aurora, Ontario, who sponsored 43 of the 70 bicycles we gave out.

Rotary Wheels for Learning is now raising funds for a distribution of 75 bicycles for needy children at Wat Vihear Kpous Kpous Primary School in Takeo province. I had visited this school of over 300 children a couple of months ago where I had espied only 20 odd bikes in the yard.

I head back to Canada at the end of March. I would love to be able to get one more distribution of Rotary Bikes to children in this school area that so desperately need a bicycle.

Your appreciated donation of $50 will provide a bicycle for a child here in Cambodia. To donate - just click on the above PayPal link or visit the 'About RWFL' tab at the top of this page. Donors in Canada will receive a tax receipt from our Rotary Club of Gravenhurst. We will also send you a photo of your sponsored child with the bicycle you provide for them.

Many thanks from our Rotary Club of Gravenhurst to all of you who made this third distribution of bicycles possible.

Upcoming Distribution: February 22nd - Patti Lee, Barbara Seagram, and their Bridge Group From Canada are touring South East Asia and will help distribute 25 Rotary Bicycles that have been donated by their group to the children at Banyan Learning Tree School on the outskirts of Phnom Penh.

Your group or club can sponsor any amount of bicycles to needy children in Cambodia and even help give them out! Email us at rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com to get involved.

CottageCountryNow Article: School projects in Cambodia continue for McCoy

2011-01-13T07:41:00.000-08:00

RWFL Team Members Lisa McCoy and Un Vanthon at Takeo Distribution

Click the link below to read about Rotary Wheels for Learning - providing bicycles for the rural children of Cambodia:

CottageCountryNow Article: School projects in Cambodia continue for McCoy

Courtesy of CottageCountryNow, a division of Metroland Media Group.

43 Rotary Bicycles Donated by the Rotary Club of Aurora

2011-01-01T01:01:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to the Rotary Club of Aurora, Ontario, Canada, for their donation that will supply 43 bicycles for impoverished rural children in Koas Krala district, Battambang province, Cambodia.

To date, Rotary Wheels for Learning has provided 155 bicycles to children in Takeo and Battambang provinces.

In our past two Battambang province distributions, the majority of the bicycles were given to children from landmine-affected families. Landmine survivors and their families live below the poverty level in the rural areas, as most are unable to support their families. The source of income for most of the rural population is derived from rice farming, which most landmine survivors are unable to do.

Rice farming is intensive, physical labor involving hours out in the rice paddy fields hand- cultivating and harvesting the rice. Both hands are required, and the body is constantly bending and stooping as the rice is harvested - a taxing job even for the fittest of people.

Rotary Wheels for Learning is planning their next distribution of bicycles for February 2011.

Only 8 more sponsors are needed to reach our goal of 70 bicycles to complete our Phase Three target.

Help us reach our target with your donation. Your donation of $50 will provide a rural child with a sturdy bicycle equipped with basket, carrier, generator-powered lamp, lock and key.

Donors will receive photo-documentation of their sponsored child with their bicycle.

Canadian donations will receive a tax receipt from the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

You can make your $50 (or more) donation by using the secure PayPal link at the top of this page.

Donations by cheque are made payable to:

‘The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst’

In memo field:

‘Rotary Wheels for Learning’

Mail to:

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst,

Box 888.

Gravenhurst, ON, Canada

P1P 1V2

For more information, please email: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com

56 More Rotary Bicycles Distributed in Rural Cambodia

2010-12-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

November 19th saw 56 more Rotary Bicycles distributed to impoverished children and those from landmine-affected families. 51 Bicycles were donated by the Rotary Club of Mississauga Lakeshore, Ontario, Canada. The morning distribution took place at the Koas Krala District Office of the Cambodian Red Cross. $50 will provide a sturdy bicycle enabling a rural child to get to school. An international program of the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst, Ontario.

24 Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycles for Children of Landmine Survivors

2010-11-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

Click on photo to view a picasa web album of this Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycle Distribution.

Thanks to generous donors for providing these 24 Rotary Bicycles for students from landmine-affected families living in remote villages in Koas Krala district, Battambang province, Cambodia.

On November 20^th, 2010, 50 families from all corners of the district made their way to the Koas Krala District Office to receive educational and occupational support from the Canadian Landmine Foundation, the Rotary Club of Etobicoke, and Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL). This collaborative distribution was aptly named ‘Project Battambang’.

These 24 RWFL bicycles are part of our RWFL Phase Two Distribution Project to provide 75 bicycles to children from landmine-affected families in this targeted district. Your donation of $50 per bicycle will help towards fulfilling this commitment.

Landmine families in need of help were identified by Cambodian Red Cross District Administrator Sopheany Chhoeun and staff Ben Sida and Loeung Deun. Sopheany is a dedicated young woman constantly visiting those in need throughout the district. She knows well the people in her community and their needs.

The bicycles were purchased in Phnom Penh and made their six-hour, 291km journey by truck to Koas Krala in the dark morning hours on Friday. Two drivers and local volunteer Un Vanthon accompanied the load of bikes. They were followed by our vanload of volunteers including Pauline Johns, Vanthon’s family and Dr. Khom Pisal. We spent Friday night at a guesthouse in Battambang city – the closest location to Koas Krala village.

On Saturday morning, the load of bikes followed by our van of volunteers made the 30km journey from Battambang to Koas Krala.

Landmine survivors arrived with families in tow soon after daybreak. Double-amputees arrived by platform tractor taxi – a tractor with a platform trailer on the back. Some came on the back of a motorcycle driven by neighbor or friend. Most of their transportation was arranged by the Koas Krala Red Cross.

Our volunteers were greeted with many smiles from landmine survivors and their families and friends.

The 30 minute distribution ceremony was officiated by the Battambang Provincal Chief and local officials, who thanked Rotary for providing bicycles for landmine-affected families. This was followed by an educational session of dental hygiene taught by Cambodian dentist, Dr. Khom Pisal, after which, hundreds of tubes of toothpaste and toothbrushes were distributed to all families.

The distribution lasted well into the afternoon. Each bicycle recipient came to the front table, where our volunteer translators recorded their personal information and the child signed the form. They were then allocated a bicycle and proceeded to another area to have their photo taken with their Rotary Bike.

Part of the ‘Project Battambang’ distribution provided nine bicycle repair businesses to landmine survivors. To our delight, these new ‘Bicycle Repairmen’ promptly opened up their kits and eagerly affixed the baskets and lamps onto the Rotary bikes with their shiny new tools. – a wonderful start to their new bicycle repair business!

It was a magnificent day and tremendously rewarding for all of us to be able to provide this help to 52 landmine-affected families who had never received support before.

As most of rural Cambodia, Koas Krala District’s main industry is agriculture, with rice farming the main source of income. Most people don’t own their own rice field, but work on fields owned by the wealthy. Rice fields are harvested two to three times a year resulting in families only making sporadic income.

According to Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport, poverty rates are highest in the rural areas where 90.5% of the poor live. Over 40% live far below the poverty line. The average annual family income in rural areas is US$197.00. The cost of a bicycle is out of the question for these families.

Life is a constant struggle for landmine victims, as many are unable to do the strenuous labor required for most rural jobs. Providing food for their families is difficult. They are the poorest of the poor, relying on help from non-governmental organizations.

Koas Krala district in Battambang province has hectares and hectares of land still riddled by landmines. Battambang province is one of the three most heavily mined provinces. An identified 1.5% of the total population of 949,164 are people disabled by landmines.

It is for these families that a bicycle is a vital step out of poverty. A child can attend school. A family member can go to a market to buy or sell goods. When illness befalls, a bicycle is transportation to a local clinic.

Please visit our Home Page for information on how to donate. Help us raise funds to provide 51 more bicycles for poor and landmine-affected children in Koas Krala. RWFL team member, Lisa McCoy, will be in Cambodia another four months – ready to coordinate more Rotary Bicycle distributions!

Gravenhurst Students Raise over $100 for Bicycles for Cambodian Children!

Gravenhurst Beechgrove students, and avid bikers, Brennan Norman and Jack Lorenz held an amazing Bake Sale at Gravenhurst High School on December 3rd which raised over $100 for 2 Rotary Bikes for children here in rural Cambodia. This was part of the 'Do Something' program where students raise money to help a friend, neighbor, community organization, etc.

A Big Applause for Brennan and Jack and their astounding efforts to help provide bicycles to students in need of this vital transportation.

Landmine Survivors Arrive to Receive Support and Rotary Bicycles

2010-11-23T08:30:00.000-08:00

November 20, rural Koas Krala.

Rotary Wheels for Learning has delivered 24 bicycles to children of landmine survivors in Koas Krala district, Battambang Province, Cambodia.

We need 51 bicycles to fulfill our Phase 2 committment for these impoverished children.

Visit this site's home page to donate.

Rotary Wheels for Learning Distributes 75 Bicycles to Children in Rural Cambodia

2010-10-19T19:52:00.000-07:00

Ecstatic children waiting to receive their Rotary Bicycles!

October 17^th RWFL Distribution Report from Lisa McCoy in Cambodia

The monsoon season here in Cambodia has been particularly devastating this year with 11 lives lost and countless families left homeless.

Just days before our first Rotary Wheels for Learning scheduled distribution, I had first-hand experience of what it was like to be stranded in over meter-high floods waters. I was just outside of Phnom Penh staying with RWFL local coordinator Vanthon and family when the rain and wind began. In a matter of five hours, the rain had severely flooded the whole neighborhood, resorting families to go to their rooftops.

It took a week for the water to drain and then people could assess their damage and try to resume their already difficult lives. People in many rural areas were stranded much longer. Vital rice crops had been damaged.

Many main roads had been underwater, bridges washed out and rivers had broken their banks…I was concerned as to whether we would be able to get our truck of 75 Rotary Bicycles down to the rural villages in Takeo province- an 87km trip from Phnom Penh!

But, we had to try. It’s not an easy thing to just postpone a bicycle distribution to children who live in rural areas! Villages families live far apart as most are farmers working a rice field. They have no telephones. Families had been notified in person of the Rotary Bicycle Distribution date a couple of weeks ahead of time. It would have been difficult to notify 75 families that the distribution had to be postponed – disappointing to the children also. Most families can’t afford a bicycle. For a child – receiving a bicycle is one of the biggest moments in their life.

So, we hoped for the monsoons to subside, kept informed of road conditions and decided that one way or another, we would get that truck of bicycles down to Takeo.

Amazingly, the sun showed its face on the morning of Sunday, October 17^th, and our truck of bicycles and van of volunteers set out for Takeo province at 6am. We had chosen an alternate route when we heard that National Road #2 was flooded – taking #3 instead. We arrived at Trapeang Tasome village in Takeo by 8:30am only encountering one area of road that was flooded.

ALL the children and their families were there anxiously waiting when we arrived at the village chief’s house beside Big Love School.

Parents and children were dressed in the very, very best clothes that they own. Village, commune, and district officials and all area teachers were present. Everyone had come from miles around to see the children receive Rotary Bicycles!

While our team of volunteers unloaded, set up and numbered each bicycle, I was greeted by many families with the traditional Khmer greeting of bowed heads and hands together in prayer position. Parents and grandparents came up to me to touch me, smile and thank me for giving bicycles to their children. I could not understand their words but their message of appreciation could not be mistaken.

Cambodian people love to celebrate and hold a ceremony for any event out of the ordinary. Weddings last 2 days here, funerals much longer! It is customary here.

75 bicycles coming to a village for the children is a HUGE event warranting a proper ceremony. All the government officials, teachers gave speeches thanking Rotary. They encouraged the children to attend school regularly and study hard. They were told not to sell their bicycles. I gave a short speech on behalf of Rotary that was translated by area teacher Ban Van.

Then it came time for each child’s name to be called out and then proceed to the front desk to sign the form to receive their bike.

Most of the kids were scared.....a couple even cried signing the form. Some can't even talk! This is truly such a big event in their life! Imagine that you are a poor kid living in a hut, have never been outside your village, and this huge opportunity comes your way where you get a free bike from a strange white person.

Once they signed the form, one of the volunteers would bring them to our volunteer photographers, who would take a photo of each child with their Rotary Bike – another unusual experience for the children as poor people don’t own a camera. But many times, after we take the photo, we will show the child the digital image of themselves on the camera and that produces a big smile!

It’s simply a wonderful and overwhelming experience – just impossible to convey with words! So, Rotarians – you’ll just have to come over to Cambodia next year and get first-hand experience of giving out Rotary Bicycles!

Lisa McCoy,

RWFL Field Coordinator

Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Here's a lovely letter of thanks from village teacher, Tim Vet:

Dear Lisa,

How are you today? I am so happy to see here on offering bicycle day. I am so happy for my children who got every thing from your love. I hope that we have many good works in my country. May God bless you to take care of you for your works in Cambodia long time. I hope to see and work with you soon.

Love,

Vet

Your donation of $50 provides a rural child in Cambodia with necessary transportation to get to school. Please see this site's home page for information on how to donate. We need your help to raise funds for 75 bicycles for rural children in Battambang province. You will receive a photo and short biographical information on your sponsored child.

With holiday season approaching - consider giving the gift of a Rotary Bicycle in the name of someone special on your gift-giving list!

In Canada, tax receipts will be issued by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

For those on Facebook - Be sure to visit the Rotary Wheels for Learning Facebook Page

Rotary Wheels for Learning - 75 Bicycles Distributed in a Takeo Province Village in Cambodia

2010-10-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Click on the above photo to link to a picasa web album to view the first photos of yesterday's Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycle Distribution. 75 Rotary Bicycles were distributed to rural children in Takeo province, Cambodia.

Visit this site's home page for information how you can sponsor a child for $50 with a much-needed bicycle for school. We are now trying to raise funds for 75 bicycles for rural children in mine-infested Battambang province. Many of the Rotary Bicycle recipients will be those of landmine survivors.

First Phase of RWFL heavily supported by donors - how about helping more children go to school?

2010-09-27T13:38:00.000-07:00

The Rotary Wheels for Learning (RWFL) Committee is pleased to announce that $3,543.00 in funding for the first phase of the program has been raised within a week of the announcement of the project by the Rotary Club of Gravenhurst.

This distribution will take place in Trapeng Tasome village, Takeo Province in mid-October and is the first phase of three planned for Cambodia.

Thanks to the generous donations received from across Ontario, Canada, 75 impoverished rural children will now receive a Rotary Bicycle that will enable them to get to school.

A very special thank you to John Chow and Kathy Glazer-Chow and family of Toronto for their overwhelming donation of 21 bicycles. Also, heartwarming thanks to Gavin Newell of Aurora for his donation of 21 bicycles.

International Committee member, Lisa McCoy, will arrive in Cambodia on October 5^th to begin implementation of this exciting first phase along with local Project Coordinator, Un Vanthon, and local teacher Ban Ven. Progress updates will soon follow on this blog site.

We are now raising funds for Phase Two – 75 Rotary Bicycles for children in remote Koas Krala District in Battambang Province, Cambodia. We need your help to raise $3,450.00 for this phase that will focus on the children of rural landmine-affected families as well as to those children living in the poorest of circumstances.

You can view the Phase Two Project Proposal at :
https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0BzCUbudJO9DpZDYwMjE3OWEtMTg4Yy00N2NjLWJlZDQtY2MwZDMxMDE4OWY0&hl=en

Cambodia has the largest percentage of amputees in the world. Battambang Province has 7,000 identified landmine survivors – many with large families living in conditions far below the poverty level. Battambang province is one of the three most heavily mine-infested provinces in the country. It is typically farmers working in the field or children on their way to school who are casualties of these deadly remnants of war.

Your donation will provide them with a safe and efficient way to school!

RWFL Committee members Nancy Beal and Lisa McCoy recently gave a Rotary Wheels for Learning presentation at our Rotary District 7010 Conference in Peterborough, Ontario. Many Fellow-Rotarians expressed an interest in becoming involved in a future Bicycle Distribution Trip to Cambodia!

So, let’s hear from you! If there are 15-20 Rotarians (spouses welcome) who would like to become involved in a distribution trip, send us an email at: rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com. We would like to also know your preferred date for this trip. We are looking at October 2011 or January 2012.

Approximate cost for this trip would cost $4,000-$4,500 per person. It would include return airfare, accommodation, ground transportation and meals. A portion of this cost would go to providing Rotary Bicycles to children in rural areas. Entrance fees to sightseeing venues and a weekend trip to Siem Reap to see the Angkor Wat World Heritage Site are not included in the cost.

The trip would be approximately 17 days and fully guided. Giving out bicycles to rural children will be the highlight of this trip, but there will also be opportunities to volunteer in local schools, give out donations that you bring along, visit Handicap International, take a boat to visit people living in the floating villages, visit the Toul Sleng Museum and ‘Killing Fields’, Royal Palace and National Museum, the Canadian Landmine Museum, plus much more.

A similar ‘Sweat Equity’ trip was taken by District 7070 Rotarians in November 2009 and an exciting time was had by all that got involved in school-building project there. Let’s duplicate this wonderful Rotary international experience-of-a-lifetime and give out 250 Rotary Bicycles, or more directly to the neediest children of Cambodia – Give them the ‘Wheels for Learning’.

Rotary Wheels for Learning is now on Facebook - visit us there!

For information on how to donate, please read the blog entry below.

2010-08-25T14:47:00.000-07:00

Help a child in a developing country.
Provide valuable transportation for their much-needed education.

Your donation of $50 will provide a rural child with a sturdy bicycle equipped with a basket, carrier, lamp, lock and proudly displays the Rotary logo.

The Rotary Wheels for Learning Bicycle Distribution Program currently supports the children of Cambodia – one of the poorest nations in the world. Schools are few and far between. Many of the children have to walk up to 10 kilometers one way to attend school. Most parents can't afford the cost of school AND the transportation to get to school. As a result the child doesn't attend school at all. When provided with a Rotary Wheels for Learning bicycle, it makes attending school possible for a child. In most instances the recipient’s families also benefit. They use the bicycle outside school hours for the simple basics needed to survive day to day, such as going to the local market or a medical clinic.

Donors are provided with short biographical information and a photo of their sponsored child with their Rotary Bicycle. Please provide us with your email address if you have one so we can email you the photographs and forms of your sponored children. These will be sent by post if you do not have an email address.

In Canada, tax receipts will be issued for your donation. Donations of 50 or more bicycles greatly reduces the cost per bike.

A full description of the project is available upon request.

A Way to School with Rotary Wheels!

For more information contact:

Patrick Bongers,

Chair, International Service Committee,
Rotary Club of Gravenhurst,

‘Rotary Wheels for Learning’

rotarywheelsforlearning@gmail.com

705-689-1646 (residence)

To Donate:

Make your cheque payable to:

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

In memo field:

‘Rotary Wheels for Learning’

Mail to:

Rotary Club of Gravenhurst

Box 888, Gravenhurst, Ontario,
Canada, P1P 1V2

The Rotary Club of Gravenhurst Ontario Canada Inc.
Revenue Canada Business Identification (Charitable Reg.) #89155-6847 RR0001

Rotary Wheels for Learning Committee Members:

Nancy Beal, Pat Bongers, Jim Goodwin, Lisa McCoy, Bill Rathbun

If your group, club or organization would like to book a Rotary Wheels for Learning presentation, please contact the above.

Upcoming Presentations:

Rotary Club of Bracebridge-Muskoka Lakes - September 21, 2010
Rotary District 7010 Conference - Peterborough - September 25, 2010
Rotary Club of Huntsville - October 27, 2010