Grace House & the Social Cycles Nov 2015 team December 18, 2015We first met Bridget and Alan in October of 2014 while conducting research for the Social Cycles NGO adventure tour. We were both compelled by their passion and commitment to their projects in Cambodia. In November of 2015, we conducted our inaugural tour and brought with us our first 8 riders. We wanted Bridget and Alan to share their incredible story with our cyclists too. At Grace House, the team are dedicated to finding ways which enable the community to become sustainable “through education, family support and health care.” Things most of us take for granted every day here in Australia. The vision of Grace House Community Centre is to: “In providing opportunities to learn vocational, craft and language skills, families will increase their ability to earn an income or run a business, enabling them to become self sufficient. Grace House Community Centre intends to achieve this by supporting families while learning new skills and setting up new businesses. Offering access to health care sanitation, clean water, dry homes, safe electricity and micro loans. Educating the children in English language and ensuring they receive a state education. Encourage inclusion of children with disabilities in Siem Reap Province by enabling them to recieve specialist education and a safe, caring environment for respite or long term care.” Part of our two-week tour involves us visiting unsung heroes like Bridget and Alan so that we can soak up as much as we can about what goes on behind the scenes. Most NGOs we see are fairly transparent – especially the local grass root organisations. At the end of our journey, we discuss as a team which NGO (if any) we should donate a nominal amount to. This tour, the Social Cycles Nov team decided to donate AU$1000 to Grace House. It seems, our cyclists were touched by all the hard work that goes into this community centre to make it thrive and be sustainable since it’s inception 7 years ago – a feeling I was all too familiar with because I was the same after I visited last year.