The PEPY RIDE

Beginning at the Cambodia-Vietnam border, The PEPY RIDE (Protect the Earth. Protect Yourself) is an educational bike ride that will zigzag across Cambodia, bringing environmental and health issues to the most rural areas and raising funds along the way to build a school.

The Ride was devised by Greta Arnquist, a former volunteers at the Future Light Orphanage in Phnom Penh, and Daniela Papi, a veteran of the BEE Ride in Japan (http://www.beejapan.org/) who also had some experience traveling through Cambodia. They both wanted to return to Cambodia to help with the development of sustainable education for a country that had been stripped of its educational foundations.

Through the PEPY RIDE they hope to teach the youth of Cambodia about protecting the environment and their health while offering them a chance to interact with a group that supports their progress.

Life under the Khmer Rouge, which abolished most social services, particularly education, did much to stunt the nations development. Less than 1% of Cambodia's population has had any education beyond high school and about 40% never attended school. Lack of knowledge of family planning, combined with poor sanitation and general health, contribute to high infant mortality rates (90 per 1000 live births).

In order to help provide basic educational facilities, the PEPY RIDE is also aiming to raise 16,000 US dollars to build a school equipped with a solar powered computer in rural Cambodia. This is being achieved through a collaboration with “Cambodia Schools”, a Japan-based NGO that has already built over 260 schools throughout the country (http://www.cambodiaschools.com/ ).

To learn more about the ride contact Daniela Papi at daniela@pepyride.org or see the website at http://www.pepyride.org/

LINK :
The PEPY RIDE