Little Hearts supporters from Belgium have not been able to visit Cambodia this year due to travel restrictions. This did not stop their initiative to metaphorically bridge the distance between Antwerp and Phnom Penh by creating a cycling event where together they would cover the 9800km that separates them from Little Hearts. Ultimately, they covered much more and together they travelled no less than 13 280 km raising 8294 euros for the kids at Little Hearts. Cyclist and walkers were able to escape their bubble for a day for a trip together to give children from Cambodia a better future.
Normal fundraising activities have been feeling the pressure from COVID and for the second year in a row, we have not been unable to run the usual Little Hearts Annual Fundraiser that used to attract around six hundred guests. The event was essential to attract the resources needed for Little Hearts because the operation of the organisation requires approximately 150,000 euros per year.
Covid lockdown over the past year has diminished over 75% of Little Hearts normal fundraising support with both large and small fundraising events simply cancelled including school fundraisers. The organisation has been sustained short term by the growing support of monthly donors however the impact has still been felt by our kids in Cambodia. The Little Hearts on the Move event gave supporters an alternative.
We are blessed to have an amazing team of volunteers in Belgium who were the driving forces behind Little Hearts on the Move under the leadership of Dimitri who came up with the idea of organizing a virtual and corona-safe activity. “People can register for a bicycle tour of 50 or 100 kilometres or for a walk of 5 or 10 kilometres. They will receive an email with the instructions and a link to download an app. This app can be activated to register the distances. The participants leave when and where they want. They also decide for themselves who they go out with. With this adjusted event supporters still retain a link with each other and with Little Hearts. “
The outcome was really amazing, more than three hundred participants registered and the proceeds from the trips went entirely to the day-to-day operations of the orphanage supporting kids in need in Cambodia. COVID has been a very difficult time for the whole world but it is still a time we can come together and overcome the challenges to supporting those most in need.
Please stay tuned because in the very near future we like to continue this event but this time at a different continent or maybe continents 😊