Siem Reap province’s Angkor Hospital for Children (AHC), a non-profit organisation, is planning a fun cycling event to promote the environment and children's health. The occasion will also serve to raise funds to support the hospital's operations.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the event, which will take place on Sunday August 25.
The participants will set out from the Siem Reap Riverside Gymnasium at 5.30am, and will parade around the town for 17.5km before the procession ends at the Green Park, former known as the Cambodian Cultural Village.
A variety of fun entertainment activities that promote environmental awareness have been organised along the way, according to an AHC announcement.
The event is expected to see 1,000 cyclists take part, with each of them paying $20 to register and support the hospital.
“This event has been able to run successfully for ten years because of the Kingdom’s cyclists. They are a part of helping the operation of Angkor Hospital for Children and saving the lives of children in the hospital,” said Hun Socheat, chairman of the Cycling Committee for Cambodia.
He called for private companies and other interested parties to participate and support the event, to contribute to saving the lives of Cambodian children.
The AHC was established by Japanese photographer Kenro Izu in 1999, with the aim of improving the well-being of all Cambodian children, regardless of their family background.
The hospital not only provides free medical examinations and care to children, but also contributes to strengthening the Kingdom’s healthcare sector through the training of doctors, nurses and health workers. In addition, it provides health education and preventive measures to several Siem Reap communities.
According to the AHC, around 400 children receive check-ups or treatment at the hospital every day. Since it opened, more than 2.5 million Cambodian children have been treated by the hospital.
The hospital operates entirely on charitable donations. It needs $6 million a year to support its operations, most of which comes from fundraising events, both abroad and domestically.