19 year old's 500km bike ride through Thailand to raise money for at-risk orphans

In January 2014 I was privileged to be a part of the Hands Across the Water charity bike ride, in which I cycled 800km in 8 days through northern Thailand to raise money for 7 orphanages supported Hands. I was able to raise $10,000AUS!

Last year on the ride our group was accompanied by Mae Thiew, the women in charge of one of the orphanages, Baan Home Hug in Yasothon, Northern Thailand. Mae Thiew not only completed the 800km ride, but has also joined 2 January rides again in 2015 and will ride 1600kms. During the ride she spoke to us about some of the struggles she faced before Hands began supporting her; with the little funds she could gather she often needed to choose between buying medicines to keep many of the children's HIV at bay, preventing it developing into full-blown AIDS, or food to sustain them. In choosing food she spoke of the struggles she faced; almost weekly children died, and with many prejudices still surrounding HIV/AIDS, undertakers would not bury them. The older children (15 years old) would have to take them into the woods and bury them at night instead. During the ride Mae Thiew quietly struggled with a severe form of bowel cancer which she continues to bravely fight, refusing chemotherapy to ensure she is strong for her children.

The ride ended at Baan Home Hug in which we were greeted by all the children, smiling and excited, by far the happiest and most grateful children I have ever met, all of them acutely aware of the gifts Hands continues to give them- not only money but love too.

In November this year I will return to complete the inaugural 500km youth ride.

Hands Across the Water (http://handsacrossthewater.org.au) is a completely non-profit charity, and 100% of the funds go straight to the children. It was set up in response to the 2004 tsunami sheltering orphaned and lost children however today many of the children are rescued from the sex industry or are orphaned by AIDS, they too battle illnesses such as HIV.

We are currently working to further develop the NZ branch of Hands, and hope to make a specific project for all funds raised in NZ. We are thinking of developing a scholarship-type program for the kids to continue on to higher educations be it university or other forms of training.

All my thanks must go to my previous donors and Avanti Plus Kapiti for all their support, continuing to go above and beyond what we could have ever expected!

I will be transferring the funds to the Charity Hands Across the Water directly. 100% of the funds will go to, and benefit the children with no admin or advertising being claimed. I have been lucky to witness the dedication of the Hands organizers and see how much of a difference it makes to hundreds of lives.