[The following press release was issued 17 September 2014 by Cycling4Gaza.]
Dozens to Bike from Philadelphia to Washington, DC to Raise Funds for Medical Relief for Gaza’s Children
Between September 18 and 21, more than 40 cyclists are expected to pedal more than 217 miles (350 km) from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, to raise money for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) so that it can continue to treat and care for the children of Gaza. Riders will include 16-year-old Ahmed Abu Nammous, from Gaza, whose life was changed after being fitted with a prosthetic leg in the U.S. on a PCRF-sponsored trip. Participants hope to raise $250,000 for the PCRF’s REACH Gaza project.
In 2013, Cycling4Gaza partnered with the PCRF for the first time to launch the REACH Gaza (Reaching Every Affected CHild) project. REACH Gaza aims to improve and strengthen the severely underdeveloped healthcare system in Gaza, particularly when it comes to providing specialised surgeries for children. This will be Cycling4Gaza’s first U.S. effort following successful fundraising cycles that mobilised over 100 people worldwide and covered over 1,120 miles (1,800 km) across the UK, France, Italy, Jordan, Turkey and Germany. Through these efforts, Cycling4Gaza has raised over $1.12 million for sustainable healthcare and education projects that provide critical support to vulnerable Palestinian communities.
Cycling4Gaza is delighted to welcome Ahmed Abu Nammous to join its U.S. cycle. Ahmed is an energetic and passionate 16-year-old from northern Gaza who was shot at the age of 14 by an Israeli sniper at the Erez border. The bullet hit right above his knee and his leg had to be amputated. As part of the PCRF’s ongoing endeavours in Gaza, they arranged for Ahmed to travel to Ohio to be fitted with a prosthetic leg. Upon his return, Ahmed was able to walk, run and go back to his daily routine.
In an effort to thank the PCRF, raise awareness on what is happening in Gaza, and inspire and motivate other innocent victims of war, Ahmed has chosen to join us on the 2014 Cycling4Gaza ride. When asked what he would like people to know he said: “Think of the children of Palestine and help us get out of this conflict and end the siege on Gaza.”
Cycling4Gaza hopes to help children affected by the seven-year long siege on the Gaza Strip, which has caused a chronic shortage of medical equipment and supplies and prevented children and their families from travelling freely into the West Bank or abroad to receive urgent care and treatment. The situation has worsened severely following the recent Israeli military assault on Gaza. According to the UN, at least 501 children were killed and 3,374 physically injured, while 373,000 others require direct and specialized psychosocial support.
Over 1,500 children a year can be supported through this project. REACH Gaza aims to alleviate the burden of the current healthcare situation in the Gaza Strip by providing accessible and necessary medical treatment to every child in need. To support these initiatives, please visit www.cycling4gaza.com.
About Cycling4Gaza
Cycling4Gaza is a non-profit initiative founded by a group of determined and passionate young people in the wake of the 2008-2009 war on the Gaza Strip. Our mission is to raise critical funds for carefully selected non-profit organisations that support vulnerable Palestinian communities, and to raise awareness about the ongoing siege on Gaza. With the support of its cyclists, volunteers, and donors, Cycling4Gaza has positively impacted the lives of over 8,000 children and 3,000 family and community members in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon’s Palestinian refugee camps.
For detailed information on fundraising history and for visual accounts of each of the challenges, visit
www.cycling4gaza.com.
For additional information on Cycling4Gaza please, write to us at info@cycling4gaza.com
About Our Partners:
Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
A Registered 501(c)(3) Non-Governmental Organization
The PCRF was created as a non-profit, non-political medical relief organization during the first Intifada by concerned people seeking ways to contribute in a positive way to the humanitarian needs of children under Israeli military occupation, through treating children in need of medical care. Over the past twenty-two years, the PCRF has sent over 1,000 children from Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq for free surgery in North and South America, Europe, Asia and other parts of the Middle East. Over 10,000 children have had direct surgery by hundreds of visiting teams from all over the world.
http://www.pcrf.net
Medical Aid for Palestinians Registered UK Charity No. 1045315
Established in the aftermath of the massacre at Sabra and Shatila, today MAP UK delivers health and medical care to those worst affected by conflict, occupation and displacement. Working in partnership with local health providers and hospitals, MAP UK addresses a wide range of health issues and challenges faced by the Palestinian people. With offices located in Beirut, Ramallah and Gaza City, MAP UK responds rapidly in times of crisis, and works directly with communities in the longer term on health development.
http://www.map-uk.org/
Welfare Association Registered UK Charity No. 1020238
The Welfare (WA) Association is a non-profit organisation established in Geneva in 1983 to support Palestinian society in sustainable development. The Welfare Association is dedicated to making a distinguished contribution toward furthering the progress of the Palestinians, preserving their heritage and identity, supporting their living culture and building civil society. WA beneficiaries are the more than 4 million Palestinians who are served by Palestinian non-governmental organizations, community institutions and charitable organizations in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Galilee, Jaffa, Akka, Nazareth and Naqab, as well as in refugee camps in Lebanon.
www.welfareassociation.org.uk