• Society

EDUBIKE2023: 425 Kilometers on Bicycles for Education in Cambodia

• By Cambodianess
• December 8, 2023 7:10 PM

After eight days on bicycles, the cyclists, having embarked on the incredible adventure #EDUBIKE2023, arrived in Sisophon where is based ADTJK/AEC-Foyer Lataste, the NGO organizing the event. 

After eight days on bikes, the cyclists, having embarked on the amazing #EDUBIKE2023 adventure, arrived in Sisophon where is based ADTJK/AEC-Foyer Lataste, the organizer of the event. Nearly 300 people gathered to mark the end of this adventure and to celebrate the NGO’s 25th anniversary. 

ADTJK/AEC-Foyer Lataste is dedicated to helping vulnerable and disadvantaged children in Cambodia. Since 1998, a French and Cambodian team works to support families and children by offering them quality education and sometimes housing. Foyer Lacaste has been named No. 1 in Banteay Meanchey province. As part of its mandate to support education, its team decided to organize a charity bicycle race of 425 kilometers: from Phnom Penh to Foyer Lacaste in Sisophon.    

#EDUBIKE2023: an adventure to provide support rather than a sport challenge 

During eight days, around 12 participants travelled across the country on bicycles. Men and women sponsors, volunteers and members of the organization put on their cycling clothes and explored the country in a different way. Bicycles are the main means of transport for children in the country; they enable them to go to school every day on their own.

Cyclists proudly display the sign of #EDUBIKE2023 in front of the Sean Praptos bridge near the exit of the Kampong Kdei temple in Siem Reap province. Photo: Elise ROY

The organization’s participants then set themselves the unprecedented challenge of going from Phnom Penh to Sisophon on bicycles with the goal of raising funds to support the education of the recipient children. 

The landscape travelled was of great diversity: from rice fields to national roads in addition to the archeological sites of Angkor.

This charity race was also an immersive trip in rural Cambodia. Cyclists travelled along the Tonle Sap, discovered houses on stilts in the village of Kampong Khleang and the charm of villages unknown to tourists.         

Cycling along with students

Throughout this adventure, the organization made sure to organize stopovers events with children to highlight its main goal: to support the education of Cambodian children. The cyclists went several times to schools getting support from Action Education, EDUBIKE’s partner, cycling 5 to 10 kilometers with students.  

Participants lived moving moments while travelling those kilometers along with hundreds of students “It was very touching to pedal in ricefields surrounded by all these children,” said Xavier, a participant and donor who covered, at 77 years old, the 425 kilometers.  

In addition to drawing attention, the students’ active participation made it possible to actually show the results of the projects to support education.    

Discovering  Steung Sen’s vicinity with children of a school supported by Action Education, partner of #EDUBIKE2023. Photo: Elise ROY

A charity gala in Siem Reap…

After a six-day trip on bicycle, it was time for a well-earned break in Siem Reap where the Foyer Lataste team had organized a charity gala at SPOONS Café and Restaurant, an NGO providing professional training to young people of disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The event consisted of a varied program giving French sponsors the opportunity to discover Cambodian culture and traditions: Khmer classical dance, a concert by the talented singer Sokunthea Duk, and a speech on the projects and needs of the NGO AEC-Foyer Lataste. 

During the evening, Patricia Labourier, president of AEC-Foyer Lataste, said that she wished to see even more projects being developed. To do so, the organization needs financial support from international as well as local partners. Recently, thanks to donations from several foundations—Héloïse Charruau, Graines de Futur, Masalina, and Natixis Foundation—Foyer Lataste was able to set up an eco-farm. In addition to its work to support education, the NGO is developing projects to protect the environment.    

For the event, students from the AEC-Foyer Lataste came to stage a magnificent performance of Khmer classical dance.  

…and an evening to mark the 25th anniversary Foyer Lataste 

The long trek on bicycle from Phnom Penh ended at AEC-Lataste where a big celebration had been organized. The last eight kilometers were covered with 100 or so children from AEC-Foyer Lataste who, like the trip participants, rode their bicycles in aid of education. Once arrived, things turned quite emotional. For some of the men and women sponsors who had not been at AEC-Foyer Lataste for years, discovering its evolution, seeing new faces and old acquaintances brought tears to the eyes of a few and a smile on the face of many. 



Award ceremony marking the 25th anniversary of Foyer Lataste. Photo: Elise ROY 

Following one year of planning, the #EDUBIKE2023 event that took place Nov. 13 to 20 enabled the ADTJK/AEC Foyer Lataste to collect 21843,50€. (US$23,567). The local authorities, in particular the governor of Banteay Meanchey province, recognized the involvement and professionalism demonstrated by the NGO in the management of this project.  

The first EDUBIKE event was a success. It remains to be seen whether the NGO will be able to face this challenge again, enabling more participants to discover the country on bicycle for a good cause.  

Elise ROY / Petit Journal