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The
Habitat Name Pedals Across Cambodia |
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PHNOM PENH, 26 May 2004: Habitat for Humanity’s new program
in Cambodia enjoyed an unusual publicity push in the recent
inaugural “Great Cyclo Rally of Cambodia”.
The Habitat name and message – albeit in French, the second
language of the kingdom -- was featured on a four-day team fund-raising
cyclo ride.
The “Great Cyclo Rally of Cambodia” was organized
to support the Cyclo Center, a group that helps the drivers
and families of Cambodia’s ubiquitous pedaled-powered
taxis. Ten teams, each featuring more than 20 riders, rode in
one-hour shifts from Siam Reap, the site of the world-famous
ruins of Angkor Wat, to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh
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At the request of Country Developer Enrica Aquino, volunteer
British architect and cyclist-participant Hallam Goad persuaded
the teams taking part to decorate their cyclos and T-shirts
during the last leg into Phnom Penh with stickers reading Habitat
pour l’Humanité – Habitat construit des maisons
et des vies (“Habitat for Humanity – Habitat builds
houses and lives”).
“It was a great way of getting our name out, both among
local people living along the route and those who read about
the event and saw photos in the media of the cyclos with the
Habitat name,” she said.
The “Great Cyclo Rally of Cambodia” was organized
to raise funds for the
Cyclo center. In addition, the event formed part of the World
Health Organization’s smoke-free program.
The event is scheduled to be held again in late 2005.
Habitat for Humanity Cambodia was registered with the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation on January
2003. It is already active in Cambodia with the launch of “Save
And Build” programs and partnerships
with other non-government organizations.
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