A humanitarian initiative, Cycling4Gaza was founded in 2009 by a group of five young people to mobilize volunteers in a global collective effort and raise funds for critical health care and educational projects in Gaza by bringing them together for a yearly cycling task.

In 2009, 27 volunteers from all over the world cycled from London to Paris and raised over £90,000 for MAP (Medical Aid for Palestinians) toward emergency maternal and neo-natal health care projects.

Due to this enormous initial success, Cycling4Gaza decided to keep the initiative going for a second year. In 2010, it brought together another 27 participating cyclists to take on the tough challenge of cycling from Pisa to Rome in just four days. Together, the cyclists raised over £140,000 for the Welfare Association — an international NGO supporting early childhood development projects in Gaza, West Bank and refugee camps in Lebanon with a particular focus on children with visual and hearing disabilities and mental health problems.

“We like to focus on projects that have a strong development aspect to them, such as education and children,” said Tamara Ben-Halim, the chief organizer of the initiative this year, based in UK. “As a collective, Cycling4Gaza believes in the importance of a developed and independent Palestinian society. Children are the future of any society, and by investing in children who have been the silent victims of this ongoing conflict and as a result have very few opportunities, we are hoping to secure a brighter future for at least some of them.

“There is always more work to be done, and we hope that year after year, we are able to reach more children and their families,” she added.

The group confessed to having faced challenges in raising funds since Gaza-related initiatives are sometimes considered overtly political. Hence, most corporations consequently remain hesitant in providing monetary support.

“Cycling4Gaza has always worked in partnership with charities that are purely humanitarian and do not have a political agenda. The committee members have sensed a great support for the people of Gaza and for the independence of Palestinians in general by most people in the UK,” said Ben-Halim.

Joumana Al-Jabri, a participating cyclist based in Dubai, said: “Being active in Cycling4Gaza is an insight on how ready people are to dedicate their time and efforts. It is also beautiful to see that people who have been involved in other Palestine related initiatives, whether Palestinian or not, are most readily willing to share their knowledge to complement our work for Cycling4Gaza, be it through social media support or other means of communication.”

With seven cyclists participating from the UAE, the Dubai ground-volunteers have been selling donated items at flea markets, ranging from kids’ toys to 100 percent virgin Jordanian olive oil, to raise the necessary funds.

“As is the norm of the community in Dubai, we represent different nationalities and come from different backgrounds, which adds value to the amount of sub-communities that we can tap into to raise awareness about the continuous plight of the children in Gaza,” said Mohammed Tahboub, Cyling4Gaza UAE coordinator.

Moreover, volunteers from Cycling4Gaza’s UAE team have been intensively involved in brainstorming innovative ideas and organizing events to maximize the impact of the initiative.

Another seven cyclers from Saudi Arabia, (both Saudis and non-Saudis) will be joining the cycling expedition from Olympia to Athens. Efforts have been ongoing here to generate the funds, mainly through family and friends.

“We are all very enthusiastic about supporting the cause and we’re very proud of both teams that completed the cycle in 2009 and 2010 which got us eager to sign up for this year’s trip. The projects that Cycling4Gaza supports are excellent in preserving a healthier society under occupation. It is a wonderful initiative that raises awareness to the tragedy in Gaza. It is wonderful to see many vibrant young individuals gather from around the world for one cause,” said a participant from Saudi Arabia who preferred to remain anonymous.

This year, the group hopes to raise £200,000 for The Welfare Association’s CBR (Community-Based Rehabilitation) program by supporting projects through Nour El Marifa, Society for the Care of the Handicapped and the National Society for Rehabilitation. This would provide 1,080 children with mental and / or physical disabilities with rehabilitation services, educational and psycho-social support.

According to a study undertaken by the Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP), around 72.8 percent of children between the ages of six and 11 years in Gaza suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder reactions.

The projects will ensure that these children have access to education and are socially included. The program also aims at equipping the children’s parents with the necessary knowledge and skills required to provide a nurturing environment during their growth as well as raise awareness about mental and physical disabilities in the community.

Each year, the Cycling4Gaza initiative plans on continuing the cycling challenge to make their way toward Palestine with the ultimate aim of reaching Gaza.