by Annette Pereira
In Kenya, 26 percent of school-age children are stunted because of malnutrition. Mburu is from western Kenya. His community is very poor and children who live there are vulnerable to disease, poverty and exploitation.
But life is beginning to change in Mburu’s community. Since Baptist World Aid Australia began funding a project in the region, lots of farmers have improved their crop yield and are now earning an income. The value of education is now more widely understood and disease is on the decline.
Unlike many of his peers, Mburu is lucky enough to have had an education. He is now a teacher and he works at a school 20 kilometres from his home.
Mburu understands the importance of education. He has seen, first hand, the advantage it provides in the fight against poverty. And he understands the importance of keeping vulnerable children safe and in school.
So, every day, Mburu rides a bicycle the 20 bumpy kilometres to work and back again, to teach the next generation. Every day, Mburu pedals against poverty.
Later this year, a team of fellow cyclists from Australia (who Mburu has never met) will pedal against poverty in their own way.
On 29 October 2016, the team of cyclists will set off from the Gold Coast on an epic 8-day ride, arriving in Sydney on 5 November. They will travel inland, riding over 1,000 kilometres through beautiful countryside and raising money for the Vulnerable Children Fund as they ride Coast2Coast.
Every child should be loved and cherished. The work of the Vulnerable Children Fund supports vulnerable families to increase their income so they can keep their children safe and in school. It fights for justice and pursues the prosecution of traffickers and child abusers. And it strengthens communities to withstand the dangers of trafficking and abuse through education and training.
Last year, a team of twenty Coast2Coast cyclists managed to raise more than $62,000 for the important work of the Vulnerable Children Fund. This year, our goal is to raise $100,000. Will you join us?
Be love. Pedal against poverty. Head to www.pedalagainstpoverty.com/coast2coast to find out more and register.
