In aid of Baan Unrak
| Baan Unrak the Home || Baan Unrak in Pictures || Shoe Project in Pictures |
Bike Aid 2001 Project – Baan Unrak
The problems of the poor in this world are indeed enormous; disease, malnutrition and the lack of education are some of the inflictions forced upon them. It is a sad fact that women and children are often the greatest victims of the ravages of poverty. The activities of some individuals and organizations have, however, helped in the alleviation of the pain and agony of the underprivileged. Baan Unrak in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, is one such organization that has played a poignant role in helping the tribal and displaced people of the region.
Baan Unrak (House of Happiness) was established in 1991 in the Thai town of Sangklaburi, near the border with Myanmar. Its aims were to aid and provide for families, women and children otherwise plagued by poverty and disease. Baan Unrak is the result of the selfless and untiring activities of Didi (Sister) Devamala, who is a member of the Neo Humanist Foundation, a non-political, non-religious and non-profit organization. Over the years Baan Unrak has striven to provide a safe haven for orphaned and abandoned children, and to economically and socially assist destitute women.
Today, Baan Unrak is home to 50 children aged between 2 to 16. There are 32 girls resident in the Girls Home and 18 boys in the Boys Home. In an effort to provide employment for women, a sewing and weaving center has been set up. A shop where the produced goods can be sold has also been established. Apart from providing housing and employment, Didi seeks to ensure the full development of the children through education. 
She plans to establish a school in May 2001 to cater to the children from surrounding villages and the hill tribes. There are plans to set up six classrooms and a library. Naturally, this important task requires the succor and co-operation of compassionate hearts.
This tract is a humble appeal on behalf of the children of Baan Unrak for contributions which would go a long way to fulfill Didi’s vision of improving the position of the underprivileged through education. All well wishers are humbly requested to extend their assistance through monetary contributions and/or through the donations of books, stationery and medicine.
| Baan Unrak the Home || Baan Unrak in Pictures || Shoe Project in Pictures |
getting to school on time
BY IRENE KEW
The first batch of bicycles were given to pupils of the Lopburi provincial school.When the pupils complete their education, they have toreturn the bikes so that other children may enjoy the samebenefits.
Bike Aid will continue to collect bicycles till March 31, 2000.They already have 46 bikes.
Said Mr Lai: “We go round to collect the bikes from peoplewho leave their contact numbers with us. Hopefully, we’llget more this time round. The children in Thailand reallyneed these bikes.”
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Recycling Bicycles for children in Thailand:
In rural Thailand, a good number of families live far away from schools. As a result, children have to walk several kilometres to get to class or simply not attend at all.
The idea behind this project is to collect old bicycles, repair them, and then give them to students whose parents cannot afford new bicycles.
The bicycles will go a long way in alleviating the hardship of the children in their daily commute to school.
On non-school days, it is hoped that these same bicycles will also contribute to the well-being of the children as they explore the countryside on their bicycles.
The project is in collaboration with the Thailand Cycling Club (TCC). Old bicycles are collected and partially repaired by TCC members.
The partly-refurbished bikes are then taken to rural schools where the new owners will be trained to complete the remaining simple repairs like fixing flat tyres and brakes, as well as routine maintenance.
The bicycles will be donated to schools whose teachers are committed to the recycled bicycles programme. When pupils complete their compulsory education, they have to return the bikes to the programme so that another child may enjoy the same benefits.
Business Times, Thursday, April 16, 1998
Fund-raising group Bike Aid will pedal to Haadyai
in June to raise $200,000
CHRISTOPHER TAN reports
Geared for charity: the Bike Aid riders during a recent training ride to Mersing.
When was the last time you went to Thailand … on a bicycle?
Bike Aid, a cycling group, will do just that this June in the name of charity. It will be their fifth long-distance fund-raising ride since 1992.
The band of riders, which has grown to 35 from an initial eight (largely professionals and businessmen), will pedal to Haadyai in an attempt to raise $200,000. They aim to complete the 1,035 km trip via the east coast in 140 hours – or within six days.
The task is similar to one which they accomplished two years ago, when a group of 10 raised $115,000 for the Hospice Care Association – also by riding to the southern Thai city (but via a slightly shorter route along the west coast).
Previous rides have yielded between $25,000 and $60,000. In all, the group has raised $250,000 for various independent or semi-independent charity organizations in the last six years.
Not an unimpressive track record for a group that started out as an informal gathering of fellows who simply shared a common love: cycling. Part of the inspiration to put wheel-power to charity work came from a like-minded organization of the same name in the US.
This time round, the funds will be for the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF), which provides subsidized dialysis treatment to needy people stricken with end-stage renal diseases.
Bike Aid president David Hoong said he’s quite confident of hitting the $200,000 target, despite the current economic climate.
“Of course when we started planning about a year ago, we didn’t quite take into account the situation now, but we should be able to hit the target because we now have quite a big group of fund-raisers,” he said.
As before, Mr Hoong is counting on corporations to be the biggest supporters. BT understands one listed company has pledged $2,000 for every hour the group manages to shave off its estimated trip time.
Motor distributor Cycle & Carriage has agreed to supply a support vehicle (a Mitsubishi multi-purpose vehicle), Yeo Hiap Seng will provide drinks and China Insurance will see to the coverage needs of the group during the ride.
The Mitsubishi MPV will be modified to accommodate a special participant in the fund-raising project: William Tan, a Paralympic athlete known for his charity efforts, who will join the cyclists on their journey in a wheelchair.
Dr Tan, a paraplegic since the age of two, once wheeled to Penang. Others in the group include 59-year-old Vincent Wee, a retiree and the oldest cyclist in the endeavour; Italian Valerio Maussier, managing director of an oilfield equipment firm; and Peter Lim, an ex-money broker who now runs his own employment agency.
“Many of the riders are professionals and businessmen in their forties,” said leader of the band Mr Hoong, a 45-year-old insurer.
Among the youngest in the group are two of Mr Hoong’s children – a 16-year-old boy and an 18-year-old girl, both national triathletes.
Incidentally, this trip also marks the debut of women riders. Including Mr Hoong’s daughter, four will match the men stride for stride in their quest.
Still in the planning stage is a “send-off party”, in which well-wishers can ride with the group to the Causeway for a token fee, which will also go to the KDF. In fact, every cent collected will go to the foundation; and costs involved in the ride itself will be borne by the cyclists and their sponsors, reiterated Mr Hoong. Community Development Minister Abdullah Tarmugi will flag off the group on June 6, 6.30am.
If you want to chip in, donations can be made either in cash or by cheque to the Kidney Dialysis Foundation. Receipts will be issued. For more information, contact BikeAid at 346-4466 or fax 741-4466.
The funds will be for the Kidney Dialysis Foundation (KDF), which provides subsidized dialysis treatment to needy people stricken with end-stage renal diseases. The target is $200,000.
Special participant: Dr Tan, a paralympic athlete, will join Bike Aid on their Thailand trip in a wheel chair.
Reproduced with kind permission of The Business Times, Singapore This article appeared in The Business Times, Thursday, April 16, 1998
In aid of Kidney Dialysis Foundation
| Beneficiary || Sponsors || Participants || Trip Diary |
Bike Aid – 1998
Singapore – Hatyai, Thailand
The 1047 km ride from Singapore to Hatyai was the longest distance attempted (till 1998) by Bike Aid (Singapore). The route was by the scenic east coast of Malaysia.
We are pleased to report that the amount raised for Kidney Dialysis Foundation was well over $200,000 with pledges from friends of Bike-Aiders contributing $141,699 and Courts raising $80,000.
We like to thank all the cyclists, supporters, sponsors, donors, and friends who helped made the Bike-Aid 1998 Charity Ride such a success.
| Beneficiary || Sponsors || Participants || Trip Diary |
In aid of Hospice Care Association
Participants Trip Diary Picture Gallery Poster 
Bike Aid – 1996
Singapore – Hatyai, Thailand
Spanning 5 days, cyclist travel from Singapore to Hatyai to raise funds for the Hospice Care Association of Singapore. Cyclist will go through undulating roads and terrain for a good cause starting the day early and ending at around dinner time.
Charity Ride in Aid of the Hospice Care Association
Cycling Expedition from Singapore to Thailand
March 9 to March 13.
Straits Times, January 10 2000
Six lorryloads of bicycles for Bike-Aid
After recent Straits Times reports about two groups which transform used computers and
bicycles into welcome gifts for the needy, donations of such equipment poured in from
readers. HO KA WEI finds out what is happening to those gifts
THERE was no putting on the brakes for those who responded to an appeal last November for used bicycles. They overwhelmed organiser Bike-Aid with donations of more than 170 bicycles. And volunteers have been kept busy collecting them from homes.
Because of the response, Bike-Aid had to call in as many as six lorries one Sunday last month, to pick up about 150 bicycles at one go The bikes are now waiting to be shipped to
Thailand, said Bike-Aid president David Hoong. From there, the Thailand Cycling Club will distribute them to children in rural areas. Most donors gave mountain bikes. Some gave
bikes without wheels.
Mr Hoong, 46, an insurance broker, added: “We go to their houses, and they tell us ‘This is the bike’. So we have no choice but to take it.” He said they might still send the damaged
bikes to Thailand because the club could refurbish them, but the ones in good condition would be packed first. The damaged ones will have to wait for space.
Bike-Aid is a group of cycling enthusiasts who pedal for charity. Last year, on a cycling trip to Hatyai, they read in the Bangkok Post of the Thailand Cycling Club’s project of recycling
Thailand Cycling Club’s project of recycling unwanted bicycles. Last October, Bike-Aid made the first shipment of 138 bicycles. In rural Thailand, children often have to walk
several kilometres to school and some simply do not attend.
Said Mr Hoong: “The Thai club was so happy and surprised that we took such a short time, when they would probably take months. “I thank all the people who called and want to
apologise to those whose bikes we’re not able to collect because of time and transport constraints.”
He added that in two months, they would know if more bikes were needed.