Events

Cycle Cambodia Challenge 2009

The verdict is in: our first cycling adventure in Cambodia was the trip of a lifetime!

When ChildFund Australia put the call out for people to take part in our first-ever Cycle Cambodia Challenge, we soon had 14 brave participants signed up. Over the next few months, they worked tirelessly to raise money and get their fitness levels up - and before long, it was time to get on the plane!

The group began the 11-day trip in the capital Phnom Penh, where they spent the night before travelling by bus to Svay Rieng. Here they visited the Chouk Meas school where the money from their fundraising activities is being used to construct a new building. The group got to see with their own eyes the dilapidated school buildings that would be replaced, and even watched the first bricks being laid!

View the video of our Cycle Cambodia trip by clicking on the play button below:

"Everyone was moved and it was a real privilege to see," says Victorian participant Peter Musson.

They also spent time playing and talking with children at their children's clubs and visited a fish farm run by a local youth group.

The next day saw the team embark on their first day of cycling. Spirits were high but mingled with nervous anticipation as they set off from Svay Rieng to Prey Veng - a daunting 96km! Over six days, the group continued on through rural villages and lush green countryside, notching up 320km in total.

"Riding with other members made the challenge fun and distracted from the distance," says NSW participant Elyshia Rodrigues.

The trip gave the team a unique insight into daily life in Cambodia. They witnessed poverty first-hand, which was often confronting, but only strengthened their resolve to continue to help children in need. It was also inspiring to see the progress that had been made by ChildFund Cambodia in just 18 months of operation.

"The highlight was definitely the ChildFund project visit and high-fiving scores of Cambodian children on the side of the road as we cycled through remote provinces," says Victorian participant Bobbie Andronikos. "I will always remember the wonderful people I met. It made me believe that I can make a difference."

Thank you and congratulations to our wonderful Cycle Cambodia Challenge team: Bobbie, Jake,
Adrian, Kristen, Warren, Zita, David, Turia, Adam, Kaaren, Tom, Elyshia, Peter and Will, who not only made the trip incredibly fun but raised more than $60,000 for the Chouk Meas primary school - and to Belinda and Jackie, our tour leaders, who made this inaugural event such a resounding success.