「自転車で 日韓またいで 人助け」日本語での説明：http://jitenshadenikkanmataidehitodasuke.blogspot.co.uk/

 Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

 

It has been difficult to escape the images on our television sets displaying the vulgarly sensational public weapon-waving, the parades of goose-stepping army personnel, and of course the baying masses crying the name of a leader whose every action is believed to be sanctioned by divine right. These images elucidate what is universally recognised as the strangest nation on earth.

 

But nothing actually stops us from switching off our TVs and freeing ourselves of this posturing.

 

There are nearly 25 million people who cannot escape its reality.

 

While it certainly stands to reason that reaching out to provide a helping hand to those in need is a lot more difficult than in numerous other poverty-stricken countries, I cannot help but feel that more could be done to help those worse affected in North Korea, the starving children. I have chosen to fundraise for the International Relief and Friendship Foundation UK which is currently coordinating (with the IRFF from 15 other European countries) a project in aid of North Korean children. The project team has reached an agreement with the North Korean government to build and equip a children’s hospital in Nan’po, a western region near Pyongyang. All the money raised is therefore guaranteed to go straight into humanitarian assistance. The IRFF announced, “the first container of supplies (including an incubator, CPAP machine, 1 surgical microscope, electrical supplies, surgical accessories, food supplements and salves) was shipped out in February 2012.” This is a sure sign of effective aid provided for North Korea’s starving children. However, for such a great cause as this I believe more support could be provided.

 

For this reason I have planned a cycling trip to be carried out in June  across Korea and Japan hoping to raise a few pennies to support the IRFF’s project in building and equipping the children’s hospital in Nan’po. There is a desperate need for a shift in public perception of North Korea away from the politics and onto the plight of its people, even if it’s momentary.

 

Notwithstanding the resistance put up by the North Korean government in accepting charity, the IRFF has enabled us to extend a helping hand to North Korea’s starving children. By your generosity and my saddle-bottom we can ‘brake’ down the barriers which separate us lucky and well-fed from the desperately unfortunate and destitute children in North Korea.

Please follow my blog for updates!http://brakingdownbarriers.blogspot.co.uk/

A comprehensive summary of the route:http://brakingdownbarriers.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-route.html

A longer exposition on the cause will find its way on my blog shortly