BikeAid donates 850 bicycles to tsunami survivors

BikeAid a social service organization in Australia recently donated 850 bicycles to Tsunami survivors in all parts of Sri Lanka. Bicycles were sent to Mullaitivu, Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Hambantota and down South from Moratuwa to Matara through selected representatives who took charge of the bikes at a simple ceremony held at the Park N' Shop premises in T.B.Jayah Mawatha recently.

The originator of the BikeAid concept, Andrew Balfour in 1969 migrated from his native Sri Lanka to Melbourne, Australia. Since then, like many other immigrants, Andrew became a naturalised Australian and has fully involved himself in the Australian community. Andrew however has not forgotten his roots and has, on a number of occasions, visited the home of his birth, Sri Lanka to catch up with family and friends.

Understandably the Boxing Day Tsunami had a major impact on Andrew, as he was able to totally aware of the devastation, which was being felt by his fellow Sri Lankans.

Beyond the immediate humanitarian aid that was so desperately needed, Andrew was concerned to see that Sri Lankans were given the means by which they could rebuild their lives from this overwhelming tragedy.

Knowing how Sri Lankans are dependent on bicycle transportation (most of which were lost in the tsunami), Andrew had a dream to provide his people with the means by which they could get their life "back on the road", that is with the gift of the most humble means of transport - a bicycle.

With the assistance of some friends, Rev. Dev Anandarajan, Dr. Olga Mendis, and Junaideen Azoor, who have known Andrew from his days managing a carpark in the basement of a Collins Street building and the Sri Lankan community, Bike Aid was formed to provide the opportunity for Australians individually or in family, community, or social groups, to donate the cost of a bicycle which is sourced from a bike factory in Sri Lanka and delivered by Andrew through Sri Lankan community groups to those who rely upon a bike for their family to function.

Andrew and his nephew Shani, personally accompanied the officials of the Conference of Sri Lankan Malays (COSLAM) to Hambantota to distribute 110 bicycles to the needy from all communities affected by the tsunami in Hambantota and Kirinda.