Don't ask us why we're doing it, but who we're doing it for...
Dani is an eight year old girl from Oruro, a small mining town in Bolivia.
Her mother is an alcoholic and often leaves her children alone for long periods at a time; because of this Dani spends a lot of time on the streets of Oruro. She lives in extreme poverty, but what she suffers from the most is the lack of love she receives from her mother. She began going to a school funded by Toybox, where she is given the care she needs and is a bright, happy child who now has the hope of a bright future.
Oruro is full of children like Dani, who either live on the streets or are at high risk of ending up there. Children often start life on the street by working to earn money for their family, or by running away from their family situation. Gradually they spend more and more time on the street until it becomes home. Life on the streets is tough; children struggle for survival, are often abused by adults, and become addicted to 'clefa' (glue) as the only way to escape their reality.
Toybox funds a project in Oruro called 'Guardian Angels', reaching children who live on the streets or who are very likely to end up on the streets. The project provides 'angels' who look out for vulnerable children and get them the help they need.
This is why we're cycling 870 miles; for the children of Oruro. And you can help:
- £120 is the average cost of helping 1 child; 14 people sponsoring us 1p per mile.
- £8700 - or £10 for each mile of the ride - could fund an Angel for one year.
Thank you!
The Toybox Cycling Team
