We are Cycling 4 our Palestine - Cycling 4 Gaza!

Cycling for freedoms - Freedom of movement! 

and freedom to access healthcare!

In August we are cycling for 350-400 km across 4 countries (Germany, Luxemburg, France and Belgium) on behalf of Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) -  a non-political, non-profit organization dedicated to healing the wounds of war and occupation in the Middle East. 

The funds will go to:

1. Sending injured and sick children abroad for free medical care
2. Sponsoring medical missions to provide treatment in Gaza
3. Sponsoring physical therapy for children with Cerebral Palsy in Northern Gaza
4. Training for doctors and nurses in Paediatric Cancer Care abroad

(Please note that we are covering our own cycling and travel expenses)

Cycling4Freedoms will focus on Freedom of movement and Freedom to access healthcare, both of which are enshrined in the United Nation’s 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as stipulated in Article 13 and 25 respectively. The lack of freedom of movement experienced by the people of Gaza takes many forms, and curtails people’s freedom to access healthcare in a number of ways:

• Doctors and patients are not free to leave or enter Gaza without permits, which are frequently rejected and which take a long time to issue if approved
• Medications, as well as medical equipment and supplies cannot move freely in and out of the territory, which has caused a crisis in healthcare provision in Gaza
   

Now please donate, any contribution will  positively impact the lives of around 1,500 children directly!
 

Read on for some more info on the campaign:

2019 marks 12 years of the blockade on Gaza, which affects every aspect of life for the almost 2 million Palestiniansliving in the strip who are unable to leave the territory, and 75% of whom are internally displaced refugees.  In addition to the siege, Israel has launched three major military operations on the besieged territory since 2008. The most recent, and deadly, operation took place in 2014 and killed over 2,200 Palestinians, including 500 children, and left many more thousands with life changing injuries. These bombing campaigns and the ongoing blockade have crippled Gaza’s economy and the freedoms of the Palestinians living there, have caused widespread destruction and left the population to suffer from shortages in essentials like food, water, electricity and medical care.  As of 2018, 96% of the water in Gaza was undrinkable and electricity supply was reduced from 8 to 4 hours per day.

With up to 50% of the population under the age of 18, children are disproportionately impacted by the dire situation in Gaza.  An entire generation of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip suffer from both physical conditions and life changing injuries, as well as mental health disorders as a result of desperate living conditions and repeated exposure to war and violence.  The lack of access to adequate health services in Gaza has resulted in thousands of children in need of specialized care that they cannot get locally.