On my college break, I got to do something really cool. My roommate Grayson and I did a 2000 km bicycle trip from Shanghai to Beijing. Having taken elective courses in Mandarin, we wanted to put our education to use and see China. One of the best ways to see the country, especially the rural areas, was to do a massive bike trip.

As the trip came together in our minds, we thought this trip could not only benefit us, but also have a good impact. Slowly, the idea of Trikes for Tykes formed; the goal being to raise money (by bicycling) to buy tricycles and bicycles for orphans who would not otherwise have one. To do this, we needed help. So we found Half the Sky.

Half the Sky embodied what we wanted in a charity. Not only were they capable logistically (tax deductible donations, purchasing and distributing the bikes and trikes, etc.), but the spirit and attitude of Half the Sky was the epitome of what we were hoping to find in a charity. After doing a little research, it became apparent Half the Sky is an organization that puts the children first, that focuses on helping them develop with love and warmth.

So, we rode. 2000 km, 20 days of riding, 7 flat tires, several nights in a tent and a whole lot of noodles later, we arrived in Beijing. Thanks to everybody's donations, we were able to provide 22 bicycles for orphans in the AIDS-affected region of Henan province. Spectacularly, Radio Flyer matched the donations of bicycles with tricycles and wagons for the younger kids in Half the Sky programs. Having seen the pictures of smiling kids and toddlers, the trip was without question worth the sore butts and occasionally bloodied ankle.

Cheers,
Jacob Schroeder
University of British Columbia