Saz Kew
Saz's H2H
Fundraising for Saigon Children's Charity CIO
Story
In April 2018 I will be joining the H2H Ride for Charity.
I am one of a 20 person team of riders committed to raising funds for the education of disadvantaged children, mostly from the rural areas and orphanages of Vietnam.
We will cycle 1,200 miles/2,002 km the length of Vietnam, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's the equivalent of John O'Groats to Landsend and back up to Birmingham, for my British friends.
100% donation
Everyone involved is a volunteer, and 100% of your donation will go directly to the benefit charities: ILA Community Network, Saigon Children’s Charity, Blue Dragon, KOTO, and Live and Give. There's more about the charities at the bottom.
In total, I'll spend over a month's wages on my deposit for the ride, my bike and accessories, the flights back, food and accommodation. I am not getting paid leave for this and will lose another month's wages while riding. I've also had my regular classes taken from me and am now just a cover teacher, due to the close proximity of the ride with my last holiday to visit family at home.
So, I've put more than 2 months of my wages into this, and lost my favourite classes and the financial security of having regular hours: just to show you how committed I am to this.
When I first started working in Vietnam, I felt guilty. The wages here for ESL teachers far exceed that of the average person. So, I chose a company with a lesser wage, better professional development and a charity sector. Since then, I've been teaching and co-ordinating volunteer English classes and putting on fundraisers through ILACN. It's been incredibly rewarding, and I finally feel like I will be leaving Vietnam having given as much I've taken.
This is a wonderful country, with such an incredible sense of community compared to the U.K., where strangers, who can't speak your language and most likely have way less than you, try to help or give you something when they can see you're in a pickle: this is why I feel strongly that this is a worthy cause. Strong enough to ruin my arse forever, apparently.
Challenge
2002km. 80-90km a day on average. 28 days. 4 rest days. 1 very very sore bum.
I’m bricking it. I hate cycling. I skipped school the day of the cycling proficiency test (sorry Mum). I've stopped drinking until after the ride to make it easier on myself, which, if you know me, is probably worth sponsoring regardless.
Please support my ride
A huuuuge thank you for your all your contributions (of any amount). I had aimed to raise 1000$ for this incredible group of charities, but I've had such an overwhelming volume of support, I'm extending my target to 1,500USD (1010 quid/35.000.000VND). Every donation makes a difference.
Charities
Saigon Children's Charity focuses on building schools, giving scholarships, supporting children of all educational levels, and providing vocational training.
Blue Dragon works with street kids, children with disabilities, children living in extreme poverty, and victims of human trafficking - rescuing them from danger, reuniting them with their families, and providing them with services for recovery and growth.
ILA Community Network educates disadvantaged children through a structured, needs-based curriculum.
KOTO (Know One, Teach One) works to end the cycle of poverty in Vietnam by empowering underprivileged youth with education and job skills training.
Live and Give began as an orphanage and boarding school, and has grown to include a kindergarten for minority children and a twice-weekly dental clinic. They are currently building a second school in Bao Lam province that will serve 250 students a day.
Wish me luck! I’m gonna need it.
Thank you so much for your support,
Saz xx
I am one of a 20 person team of riders committed to raising funds for the education of disadvantaged children, mostly from the rural areas and orphanages of Vietnam.
We will cycle 1,200 miles/2,002 km the length of Vietnam, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). That's the equivalent of John O'Groats to Landsend and back up to Birmingham, for my British friends.
100% donation
Everyone involved is a volunteer, and 100% of your donation will go directly to the benefit charities: ILA Community Network, Saigon Children’s Charity, Blue Dragon, KOTO, and Live and Give. There's more about the charities at the bottom.
In total, I'll spend over a month's wages on my deposit for the ride, my bike and accessories, the flights back, food and accommodation. I am not getting paid leave for this and will lose another month's wages while riding. I've also had my regular classes taken from me and am now just a cover teacher, due to the close proximity of the ride with my last holiday to visit family at home.
So, I've put more than 2 months of my wages into this, and lost my favourite classes and the financial security of having regular hours: just to show you how committed I am to this.
When I first started working in Vietnam, I felt guilty. The wages here for ESL teachers far exceed that of the average person. So, I chose a company with a lesser wage, better professional development and a charity sector. Since then, I've been teaching and co-ordinating volunteer English classes and putting on fundraisers through ILACN. It's been incredibly rewarding, and I finally feel like I will be leaving Vietnam having given as much I've taken.
This is a wonderful country, with such an incredible sense of community compared to the U.K., where strangers, who can't speak your language and most likely have way less than you, try to help or give you something when they can see you're in a pickle: this is why I feel strongly that this is a worthy cause. Strong enough to ruin my arse forever, apparently.
Challenge
2002km. 80-90km a day on average. 28 days. 4 rest days. 1 very very sore bum.
I’m bricking it. I hate cycling. I skipped school the day of the cycling proficiency test (sorry Mum). I've stopped drinking until after the ride to make it easier on myself, which, if you know me, is probably worth sponsoring regardless.
Please support my ride
A huuuuge thank you for your all your contributions (of any amount). I had aimed to raise 1000$ for this incredible group of charities, but I've had such an overwhelming volume of support, I'm extending my target to 1,500USD (1010 quid/35.000.000VND). Every donation makes a difference.
Charities
Saigon Children's Charity focuses on building schools, giving scholarships, supporting children of all educational levels, and providing vocational training.
Blue Dragon works with street kids, children with disabilities, children living in extreme poverty, and victims of human trafficking - rescuing them from danger, reuniting them with their families, and providing them with services for recovery and growth.
ILA Community Network educates disadvantaged children through a structured, needs-based curriculum.
KOTO (Know One, Teach One) works to end the cycle of poverty in Vietnam by empowering underprivileged youth with education and job skills training.
Live and Give began as an orphanage and boarding school, and has grown to include a kindergarten for minority children and a twice-weekly dental clinic. They are currently building a second school in Bao Lam province that will serve 250 students a day.
Wish me luck! I’m gonna need it.
Thank you so much for your support,
Saz xx