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Ride for Refuge (Egypt)

Members of the PWRDF team in Vancouver, BC pose at the Ride for Refuge. Photo: Contributed

October 26, 2015

By Simon Chambers

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On October 3, 2015, 55 riders and walkers set out, in 12 locations across Canada, to ride their bicycles or walk for PWRDF in the Ride for Refuge. Together, they raised $30,865.00 to support PWRDF’s partner Refuge Egypt.  The Ride for Refuge is an umbrella charity bike ride and walk which invites teams to raise funds for 234 different charities across North America, including PWRDF.

The staff of Refuge Egypt sent a letter to the riders describing the work they supported with the Ride:

With the money you raise, we are able to keep our Well Baby and Well Child Clinics running in 6 locations in Cairo and Alexandria. These clinics work with the most vulnerable—new-borns and the under-5s—of the most vulnerable— refugees from Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, and elsewhere. You are helping make sure refugee children grow up healthy and strong, and that refugee mothers in Egypt are cared for and empowered.

Many of these refugees have fled war and conflict, crossing great distances to find refuge in Egypt. As you cross great distances of your own, feel proud—your journey is helping those who have endured journeys of their own.

PWRDF riders had many reasons why they participated in the Ride for Refuge.Tony Lovink of Ottawa said he rode because “I’m a development guy.  I worked with Sudanese refugees with Church World Service in the US back in the 70s.  When I came to Canada, I got really involved in sponsoring refugees as part of the parish of St. John the Evangelist, Ottawa.”

Tony’s team taking a break on the road of the Ride for Refuge in Ottawa. Photo: Contributed

Through his work with St. John’s, Tony learned about Refuge Egypt.  “We sponsored 2 families to Canada.  Those families talked to me.  Did some research and found that people had to go through Cairo, and that the Anglican Church in Cairo had a great program to help refugees, especially women.  One woman, Helena, talked about how great the Cathedral program was, the quality of their programming, and how they had provided her family with food.”

Lovink’s team was one of 39 teams in Ottawa, and raised over $3000 for PWRDF.

In Toronto, 11 year olds Robin rode with the PWRDF Pedallers.  Robin rode “so we could raise money for Syrian and other refugees in Egypt.”  He went on to praise the ride, saying “It was really fun, and good exercise.”

Please save the date of October 1, 2016 when you can join Tony, Robin and dozens of other riders across the country to help PWRDF raise funds for work with refugees around the world through the Ride for Refuge!

Robin finishing his Ride for Refuge with the PWRDF Pedallers.  Photo: Simon Chambers
Members of team PWRDF Pedallers in the Ride for Refuge rode 10km to raise funds for PWRDF partner Refuge Egypt during the 2015 Ride. Photo: Simon Chambers

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