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Cyclists For Change
Gurgaon, Haryana, India
CAMPAIGN TEAM
Two young cyclists on bamboo frame bikes on a gruelling ride from Kanyakumari to Khardung-La. An expedition for girl child education.
RAISED
INR 42,23,300
GOAL INR 50,00,000
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FUNDERS
159
84% FUNDED
Accepts funds from Indian Passport / ID holders only.
Campaign ended.

To contribute any amount without rewards.

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Started from 06/07/2016
Ended on 25/10/2016
Message Campaign Owner

Passion, determination and innovation come together for a good cause

When cyclists Prisiliya Madan (22 years) and Sumeet Paringe (26 years) met the makers of Godrej’s sustainable bamboo-framed bikes, an idea was born- why not go on a journey on these very bikes across the length of the nation? And it would be no ordinary journey – during the ride, they would raise awareness and support for the girl child education in India. A cause close to their heart, their aim would be to raise INR 50 Lakh ( at the very minimum ) to support the education of 1500 girls for one year.

Today, they are on this very journey, bringing this idea to fruition – riding from Kanyakumari to Khardung La pass on a grueling 63 day, 4400 km long journey.

Driven by passion and determination, the only thing they need now, is your support.

HOW THIS IDEA WAS BORN!

Vijay Crishna, Executive Director (Lawkim Motors Group Division of Godrej and Boyce Mfg Co Ltd) travelled to Antarctica and happened upon a bamboo framed bike. He was so inspired by the strength, agility and design of the bike that he invited the designer of the bike Craig Calfee to India to replicate and work on this sustainable product. Craig took Lawkim’s team through a special 14-day Workshop specially designed by him to make the initial Prototypes. He remains committed to the Project and has appreciated the excellent finishes of the bike frame made by Lawkim.

WHO ARE THE BIKE RIDERS?

Sumeet Paringe, age 26, a cycling enthusiast, hailing from Panvel, Navi Mumbai, travelled to India’s highest motor-able road (18,380 ft.), Khardung La from Panvel in September 2014. Which was in itself a great feat of endurance!

In another fascinating cycling adventure, Prisiliya Madan, age 22, also from Panvel completed a journey from Panvel to Kanyakumari, i.e. 1800 km, in January 2016. A feat that requires a great amount of resolve and strength to undertake a journey of such a distance, and that too all alone!

Now, together they are about to embark on Godrej’s bamboo-framed bicycles to traverse the entire length of the country in a truly natural and sustainable way - one can even call it a Green endeavor!

This is a journey that will test not only the resolve and strength of the riders, but it’s also going to serve as a litmus test for the hardiness, durability and sturdiness of the Bamboo bike.


WHY GIRL CHILD EDUCATION?

While education is available to everyone across the country, the stats below tell another story. We realise that there is a growing need to promote girl child education. Something that has been neglected for generations.

Child sex ratio down to 914 girls for 1,000 boys

Less than 5 out of 10 girls who enter Class 1 actually finish Class 10

Reasons why girls drop-out from school are:

  • Poverty-related
  • Child labour, household chores, caring for younger siblings
  • Socio-cultural practices
  • Child marriage, dowry, preference for boys’ education
  • Poor quality of education
  • Multi-grade classes, low teacher-to-student ratio
  • Infrastructure challenges
  • Lack of toilet and drinking water facilities in schools

AN INTRODUCTION TO US - IIMPACT 

  • IIMPACT was started by alumni of the 1978 batch of IIM, Ahmedabad .
  • IIMPACT is a registered Non-Government Organisation (NGO) committed to educating and thereby empowering the rural girl child between the ages of 6 & 14 years in an attempt to reduce the levels of illiteracy prevailing in India. 
  • IIMPACT is run by a committed group of senior industry professionals, most of whom have graduated from the Indian Institute Management, Class of 1978. 
  • IIMPACT focuses on primary education of underprivileged girls who have never gone to school because of the prevailing village norms. Over 5 years, IIMPACT group teaches girls how to read, write and calculate. The system of teaching takes them from junior kindergarten levels to the 5th Standard level in achievable stages.
  • IIMPACT believes that every remote region needs to share in the development and prosperity India is experiencing post-liberalization. In many parts of India, boys are still favored while girls are left behind.”

Supporting the education of 1500 girl children at the minimum is the objective of this initiative .

Details of the number of centers and girls enrolled across 5 states:

During the ride, starting from 10th July, 2016, Sumeet and Prisiliya will also look to spread awareness about girl child education and raise funds for this much needed cause. They are going against the odds – Can you do something to help in terms of support?

“Educate a girl. Educate a Nation.”


FAQs

1. There are many reasons why bamboo is such a good medium for this product.

From an environmental perspective:

Bamboo grows abundantly and it grows across the world. It is also one of the fastest growing plant on Earth (certain species grow at a rapid rate over 4 feet in 24 hours).

Bamboo can be continuously re-harvested. During regeneration, the roots stay intact so erosion is prevented. In addition, continuous harvesting improves the overall health of the plant.

Bamboo grows on every continent, so it can be harvested and used locally.

Owing to its high Nitrogen consumption, growing Bamboo helps in the detoxification of wastewater and improves soil quality

Bamboo has, historically, seen widespread use in the making of durable furniture and a variety of crafts.

Bamboo grows easily in dry climates and with little Irrigation.

2. Bamboo from a bike-riding perspective

Ride quality: The plant’s natural fibres perform extremely well in reducing natural vibration as well as the stiffness of the ride.

Strength: Bamboo’s tensile strength can exceed that of carbon fibre, aluminium and steel. Bamboo’s compression strength can exceed that of concrete.

Uniqueness: If customization is your thing, look no further. No two bamboo stalks grow the same, which results in organically and aesthetically unique frames

Make a statement: While riding a bike can make a statement in our car-crazed culture, a bamboo bike treads lightly while carrying a big impact!

Weekly Updates have been committed to after the campaign ends.
7 years ago


K2K CYCLISTS FOR CHANGE - CONGRATULATIONS!!!

WOW............

Prisilya and Sumeet have successfully completed the daunting journey -  from Kanyakumari to Khardungl La Pass........It was a cold 5 degrees up  there at the height of over 18,000 ft.


The cyclists covered  4,000 kms in 63 days. This brave duo' desire  to  galvanize Rs. 50 Lakhs  (at a minimum) for IIMPACT’s girl child education program is going to be fulfilled - with your support. 

  So far close  to 34 lacs has been successfully raised -  16 lacs remain to be raised  over the next 8 days.  YOUR HELP IS REQUIRED TO HELP MAKE THIS HAPPEN -  do support to help them make an even bigger difference.

They have continuously highlighted the issue of girl child education that exists in our country through their amazing journey - please do spread the word and THANK YOU for your generous support..Its cold up there - 5 degrees!!!!


7 years ago


7 years ago


They interacted closely with the cyclists.  The duo explained to them that one should never be scared of trying out new things, to dream big and to never fear failure.  The importance of girls studying and making something out of their lives was talked about.


Truly inspirational moments for both IIMPACT's girls and for the cyclists as well!



7 years ago


7 years ago


IIMPACT GIRLS FROM ALWAR MEET THE CYCLISTS IN NEW DELHI


 MOTIVATING THE CYCLISTS AND INSPIRING IIMPACT GIRLS


Friday, August 26th, 2016 !  What a special day it was!!!

Prisiliya Madan and Sumeet Paringe both arrived in New Delhi - having cycled all the way from Kanyakumari.

The entire IIMPACT Gurgaon office team had been waiting for this day as they were eager to meet this dynamic duo face to face.  They traveled to India Gate leaving their respective homes bright and early in the morning just to get a few precious moments with the cyclists. Here is a lovely shot of the team with the duo with Rashtrapati Bhavan in the background.

More power to the Duo from the entire IIMPACT Team!!!


7 years ago




SPORTS  - A GREAT EQUALISER

SakshiMalik‬  is a reminder of what cn happn if u don't kill a girl child.When d  going gets tough,its our girls who get going &save our pride
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) August 18, 2016
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
‪‎Sports‬ is truly aspirational for ‪girls‬ from small remote rural ‪‎villages‬. 

Today our very own Rohtak girl Sakshi Malik and girl from Hyderabad PV  Sindhu are showing the way to millions of young girls with aspirations to dream big.  They can now truly believe that girls can soar and ‪achieve‬ anything they set out to do.

We at our IIMPACT centres have some very talented girls, who if given adequate support and encouragement could do us all proud - at School level, at District level, at State level, National level and perhaps even on a Global Platform.  Participating in sports can provide great confidence boosts and help in developing leadership skills and build a healthy team spirit.

Three cheers for both of these amazing young ‪‎women‬ ‪‎achievers‬ - a BIG congratulations from 60000 ‪‎IIMPACT‬ girls and the rest of the IIMPACT Team!!! You have done us all proud.


7 years ago


The Duo is moving ahead at a good pace.

Rediff has covered an article on Cyclists for Change -  

http://www.rediff.com/getahead/report/cycle-chalo-ladki-bachao/20160727.htm


Cycle chalao, ladki bachao

 "When you educate a girl, you educate a family."

 “I want every girl child in India to go to school. We hope that our cycling expedition creates a buzz.”

 Two young cyclists, Sumeet Paringe and Prisiliya   Madan, have embarked on a cycling tour across India to garner support  for a cause that is close to their heart -- education for the girl  child.

 Their love for cycling is the bond that has cemented the friendship between Sumeet Paringe, 26, and  Prisiliya Madan, 22.

 Fortunate  enough to have supportive parents backing their dreams, these two  youngsters have set out on a mission to cycle from Kanyakumari to  Khardung La to raise funds for the girl child. They  hope to raise Rs 50 lakhs in order to support the education of 1,500  girls for a year.   

 Sumeet  and Prisiliya’s friendship dates back to their childhood when they  would go trekking and cycling together. Little did they realise then  that, one day, they'd set out on a cycle journey  that would cover more than 4,400 km.

 Their journey started on July 14 from Kanyakumari and they expect to cover 11 states in 70 days, riding  their bicycles all the way through to the Khardung La Pass, one of the  northern-most points  of the country. They plan to cover the states of Maharashtra, Madhya  Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Chandigarh, Himachal Pradesh and  Jammu and Kashmir. 

 

IMAGE: The route. Photograph: Kind courtesy www.fueladream.com

 Cyclists for Change

 Sumeet  Paringe is a cycling enthusiast and he has cycled to India’s highest  motorable road (18,380 ft) at Khardung La, Ladakh, from Panvel near  Mumbai in September 2014. 

 Prisiliya  has cycled from Panvel to Kanyakumari, the southern most tip of India,  covering a distance of 1,800 km in January 2016, on a solo trip. 

 To  Sumeet and Prisiliya, their latest adventure is much more than  realising their lifelong dream to cycle across India -- this time, it is  the cause that matters more. "When you educate a girl,  you educate a family", says Sumeet, an engineer by profession.  

 Prisiliya,  who has completed her masters in computer science, feels she is  fortunate to have been able to complete her studies. Her parents have  always encouraged her to live her dreams. But  not every girl child in the county is as lucky. They were shocked when  they saw the statistics about girl child education in the country.  That's when they decided to do something about it. 

 "My father is a cyclist and a trekker. He has been very supportive and encouraging," says Prisiliya.

 "The  statistics on girl child education is scary," she adds. "We had the  freedom to live our lives and study, but what about other girls in the  country? I want every girl child in India to go  to school and I hope that our cycling expedition creates a buzz in  society."

 Helping  them with their cause are the Godrej Group (the people behind the  bamboo-framed bicycles that they are using on this trip) and IIMPACT, a  non-government organisation that helps educate  girls in rural India.  

 

IMAGE:  Sumeet and Prisiliya pose for a selfie after they reach Karnataka.  Photograph: Kind courtesy Sumeet Paringe and Prisiliya Madan

 The actual cycles

 The  duo have set out on an epic journey and their mode of transport is  something out of the ordinary. They have chosen to cover the distance on  bamboo bicycles. "These bikes are really smooth  and the vibration is lesser than the regular ones," say Sumeet and  Prisiliya, who have already covered over 500 km of their journey.

 "We ride on a daily basis. Our day starts early and we ride from 7 am to 9 am. We halt for breakfast and ride till noon  before breaking for lunch. We are currently in south India. We were  expecting  to ride in cool weather as it rains here during this time of the year.  But we're riding in almost 35 to 40 degree heat, so we avoid riding in  the afternoon. Also, it can get extremely tiring riding in the heat, so  we need to take breaks,” says Sumeet. 

 Safety is a primary concerns and one, says Prisiliya, they are not taking lightly. The duo make sure they ride on the passage (this is a lane on  side of the road earmarked for cyclists). They also use safety jackets and helmets.

 "When driving on highways, we need to be careful as vehicles zoom past us," adds Prisiliya. "We stop cycling at 6 pm in the evening as it gets dark."

 

IMAGE: The cycling enthusiasts at Kanyakumari. Photograph: Kind courtesy Sumeet Paringe and Prisiliya  Madan.

 Bumps on the road

 The  duo has packed light for the journey. "We're just carrying 17 kg on our  backs, which is easy to manage. In the past, I have carried 25 kg on a  bicycle journey."

 But they are still getting used to the food served at the roadside food joints in south India.

 "Almost every place serves sambhar and  rice,"  laughs Sumeet. "So that's what we are having for most of our meals. But  we are looking forward to varied food options in the north and  north-east."

 Memories

 Sumeet  and Prisiliya enjoy watching young children going to school as they  ride past them on their cycles. It brings a smile on their faces as it  reminds them of their cause. "We get off our  bikes and shake hands with these kids. We take photos with them," says  Sumeet. "If anyone is interested, we tell them about our mission too."

 Given  the language barriers, communicating with the locals in the interiors  has proved to be a challenge, but they hope to reach out to more people  on their journey. "People are curious about  our mission but all we can give them is basic information. People at  the grassroots don't actually understand the severity of the issue," he  mourns.

 Cycling  together has often got them curious stares. After all, it is not every  day that villagers bump into a boy and a girl riding on bamboo bikes.

 Sumeet  says the children are the most curious. "They are fascinated by our  cycles," he grins. "They always have plenty of questions about them." 

 The journey has also introduced them to helpful strangers.

 "There was a time in Madurai when we were riding in the scorching heat at 2 pm. We stopped at a roadside stall to quench our thirst. We had a glass of buttermilk each but when we offered to  pay, the vendor refused to take money. I think he saw that we were tired and was only too happy to help," says Prisiliya. 

 

7 years ago


Sharing a wonderful article that appeared in Mid Day - Mumbai.  

The Dynamic Duo are well on their way on this 70 day journey.

They have managed to raise over INR 10 lakhs since the start of this campaign! 

Kudos to them both!


7 years ago


Cyclists for Change covered in the Times of India (Chennai edition)

7 years ago


Dear Funders,

It is with great excitement and pleasure that we would like to inform you all that Summet and Priciliya have started their cycling journey from Kanyakumari on the 14th of July, 2016.

We would like to wish them a safe, happy and a memorable journey across India. 

Thanks,

Urvashi Nair

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INR 500
Facebook shoutout on the IIMPACT FB page
You will receive a personalized shoutout on the IIMPACT FB page.
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INR 1,000
Thank you email from IIMPACT
You will receive a personalized thank you email from IIMPACT
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INR 2,500
Personalized thank you card from the kids
You will receive a personalized thank you card made by the kids at IIMPACT
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INR 5,000
Thank you poster from the kids
You will receive a thank you poster made by the kids at IIMPACT.
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INR 10,000
Thank you song sung by the kids
Thank you song will be sung by the kids at IIMPACT .This will be sent to you by email.
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INR 25,000
Name on the board
You are very generous. As a token of appreciation, your name will be mentioned on the board at the IIMPACT learning center
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INR 50,000
Have your name painted on the wall
As a token of appreciation, the girls at the learning centre will specially paint your name on the classroom wall
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An entire center will have your name
As a token of appreciation, the IIMPACT learning center will be named after you. We cannot thank you enough for this gesture.
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