GoFundMe - launched !!!!

We have successfully launched the fund raising site, using GoFundMe.

Here's the link: http://www.gofundme.com/29l7io

When you donate using Pay Pal the Pay Pal account is 'Dianne Gamage' - the founding member of Lotus Educational Fund Ltd.

The blogspot link: http://empoweringlotusgirls.blogspot.com/

Your support is greatly appreciated.
Helen

Update on itinerary 3000km

The ride starts in Vientiane, Laos. Cycle over to Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand (approx 770km). Start to cycle south towards Bangkok, visiting major tourist attractions and pass on the west side of Bangkok.

Then continue down the beautiful east coast, cross over the peninsula, cycle along the the stunning west coast, visiting the Tsunami memorial.

Reaching Phuket approximately 3000km. An amazing journey.

"Empowering Lotus Girls" hopes to raise funds to educate girls in Laos through this charity bike ride.

On Friday June 14th 2013 I look forward to commencing this challenging ride.

Details about the fund raising web site will be available very soon.
Your contributions will be greatly appreciated by the girls and their families.

Cyclists will be self funding all their own expenses.

Did you know?

Did you know?

http://www.roomtoread.org/

Educating girls and women is widely acknowledged as the most powerful and effective way to address global poverty. Women who finish secondary school earn more money, have smaller, healthier families, and are more likely to educate their own children—breaking the cycle of illiteracy in one generation.

When you educate a girl, everything changes.





Lotus Educational Fund is in Laos working towards educating girls from rural families.
We hope that you can help Lotus Educational Fund make a difference in the lives of many girls who are eager for an education.

3000km from the front door

When I first had the idea to cycle 3000km I automatically assumed that Chaing Mai to Phuket would be 3000km. Well it's not. It's only about 1600km.

So then I planned a route to zig zag to some major tourist destinations but that is still only 2000km.
So, I want to stick to my challenge of 3000km.

Therefore it looks like I will ride from Vientiane - Chiang Mai - Phuket 3030km !

I think because Australia is so big I just thought surely cycling from one end of Thailand to the other would easily be 3000km. The journey will now start right from my front door !!

That's pretty cool. That means I don't have to put my bike in a box for the plane.
Always look on the bright side of life.

The journey will now take about 5 weeks. About 700 per week and a rest day here and there.

Lotus

Lotus Educational Fund

The name Lotus was carefully chosen because of it's meaning and
applicability to the daily situation of the girls.

The lotus flower (young girls) grows in muddy water (socio-economic
disadvantages) and rises above the surface (through education) to bloom
with remarkable beauty (graduation and return to the village). At night
the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens
again. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart
and mind.

Training has begun !!!

The training has begun!!

Whilst the weather was cool, before the humidity rose I rode 156km to Vang Vieng on Saturday 23rd Feb. Then I did the same ride again on 2nd March because it was so much fun.

Generally I ride 20km before work, 3 times a week.
Then Saturday and/or Sunday do longer rides.

This weekend on both Saturday and Sunday I rode 73km each day. It's very flat around Vientiane and generally I have to ride 90km to get to the hills.

Helen bike

Education and cycling would be my two great passions in life, not including my wonderful family.

I'm an Early Childhood teacher and have been teaching since 1990. Recently, I have been teaching overseas in Thailand, Japan and Laos.

Cycling has always been part of my life. Road biking in France, mountain bike racing in Australia and touring on the bike in Asia are memorable highlights. I currently have a 'bike library' and loan bikes out to friends in Lao.

During the dry season in Lao I enjoy long road rides. As the wet season starts I tend to use my touring or mountain bike for training and shopping.

Tour de Thailand

For this challenge I asked a friend, Brett Robinson from Australia to accompany me - much to my delight Brett said yes!! Brett and I meet during the Cairns to Karumba (C2K) bike ride in 2011.

Brett happens to have 7 weeks available during my holiday block.

Therefore together we will accomplish the target distance of 3000km.

This will be Brett's first visit to Thailand.
For me Thailand is my second home, especially since I lived there for 6 years (2002 - 2008).

We will be on our touring bikes with panniers, staying in guest houses throughout beautiful Thailand.

I currently live in Laos and that's why I have selected Lotus Educational Fund as the charity we will be riding for.

One of the founding members of Lotus Educational Fund was Dianne Gamage.
I first meet Dianne when we both taught in Japan. Fortunately Dianne now works in Bangkok and I'm in Vientiane.
Therefore this gave us the opportunity for our paths to cross again in early March.

At that point Dianne took the time to explain Lotus Educational Fund, the goals and objectives.
It's so perfect for me as a school teacher to advocate better education for all, especially girls.

Helen's recent cycling history

Helen's past history on the bike in recent years has included:

2 cycle trips to Myannmar before 2008 and

Hokkaido, Japan June/July 2010 32 days 2000km touring bike with panniers and tent

Sri Lanka, Dec '10 - Jan '11 21 days 780km touring bike with panniers, staying in guest houses

C2K, Australia June/July 2011 8 days 800km fully supported charity ride, road bike

Northern Lao Dec '11 - Jan '12 21 days 1245km touring bike with panniers, staying in guest houses

Chiang Mai, Thai June/July 2012 22 days 1145km touring bike with panniers, staying in guest houses

Angkor Wat Half Marathon, Cambodia 2nd Dec 2012


Thus the Empowering Lotus Girls challenge needed to be longer than 32 days and longer than 2000km.

Hence, the challenge is 3000km, a few days to be a tourist along the way - approx 35-40 days in total.

Generally these rides have been solo. That doesn't mean I always ride by myself. Lots of long distance cyclists are out there and I often join them for a day or two if we are going in the same direction.

Lotus Educational Fund, Savannahket - Laos

Lotus Educational Fund
km 35 Savannahket, Lao P.D.R.

One of the founding members of Lotus Educational Fund, Dianne Gamage explained how 'Lotus' was selected.

The name Lotus was carefully chosen because of it's meaning and
applicability to the daily situation of the girls.

The lotus flower (young girls) grows in muddy water (socio-economic
disadvantages) and rises above the surface (through education) to bloom
with remarkable beauty (graduation and return to the village).

At night the flower closes and sinks underwater, at dawn it rises and opens
again. Untouched by the impurity, lotus symbolizes the purity of heart
and mind.

Education has the POWER to change lives

Let the Challenge Begin

March 2013 I decided to undertake a bike ride and raise money for a charity in Laos P.D.R.
Over the last few weeks I have researched and made my decision to donate the money to Lotus Educational Fund.

"Empowering Lotus Girls" hopes to raise funds to educate girls in Laos through a sponsorship bicycle ride . The goal is to cycle 3000km from Northern Thailand to Southern Thailand, ending in Phuket. I am an international school teacher currently living and working in Vientiane, Laos. I'm passionate about cycling and supporting young girls gain access to education. On Sunday June 16th 2013 I look forward to commencing this challenging ride.

"Education has the power to change lives through providing access to opportunities."

The Lotus Educational Fund provides support to young girls from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in rural Savannahket, Laos. All funds donated from this bike ride will go directly to support the girls education. Each year, the Lotus fund provides each girl with a uniform, text books, pencils, back pack
and registration for primary school. In collaboration with the village chief the poorest girls are selected to participate in the program.
An amazing partnership is then formed between the families and the Lotus Educational Fund to ensure that each girl completes her attendance at school and is supported with educational success.

The challenge is to see how many young girl's lives we can change through providing access to education.

$50 provides resources and education for one girl for a year.

How many lives can you change?

Together how many lives can we change?

Lotus Educational Fund and the village chief have identified 20 girls wanting to start school on September 14th 2013.

$1000 - all 20 girls access education for one year - Grade 1.

$2000 - all 20 girls access education for another year - Grade 2.
For more information please view our website and Facebook page.
Cash donations are also accepted by Lotus Educational Fund Committee members and myself.
Cash donations will be acknowledged on GoFundMe.

What's the Challenge?

Challenges

1. Cycle from Chiang Mai to Phuket.

2. Cover 3000km

3. Raise $5000 for Lotus Educational Fund

4. Education for 20 girls from poor socio economically backgrounds in Lao for 5 years.

5. June - July rainy season