Congratulations to 23-year-old Kasia Szewczyk – this 12 months’s recipient of the Bicycle Touring Professional Journey Scholarship and $500 USD for use towards her upcoming bicycle tour!
Greater than fifty superb younger individuals from all all over the world utilized for this 12 months’s BTP Journey Scholarship and of these fifty, twenty have been chosen as finalists. Whereas I want we had sufficient cash to present out one thing to all twenty finalists, Kasia (who was born in Poland, raised in Canada, and is at the moment residing in Bolivia) stood out amongst the pack for a number of completely different causes:
To begin with, Kasia was in a position to describe her purpose in a brief, succinct, and inspirational method.
Beginning on Could fifteenth, 2012, Kasia might be using a bicycle fabricated from recycled elements, by herself, throughout mainland Europe, from Spain to Turkey – a distance of roughly 3,000 km or extra. Whereas touring, Kasia hopes to lift $10,000 CAD for World Literacy Canada – an NGO that helps to ascertain literacy and skill-building applications in India.
Whereas doing a motorbike tour for charity is unquestionably not a requirement for eligibility of the BTP Journey Scholarship, it actually is commendable, and it reveals that Kasia (like lots of this 12 months’s scholarship finalists) is pondering not nearly herself, however has a deep want to assist individuals from all walks of life and in each nook of the world.
One more reason Kasia’s mission stood out is as a result of she plans to take part on this long-distance endeavor by herself. Whereas touring solo is actually not unimaginable, it’s one thing that few younger individuals select to do. Many people, when confronted with the selection of touring alone or not going in any respect, will usually instances go for the later.
Due to this fact, I believe it’s each courageous and provoking to see a younger lady like Kasia tackle such a protracted and probably troublesome problem by herself. Ultimately, I believe Kasia’s bicycle tour throughout Europe might be a motivational factor for different younger girls to see, as it could assist them notice that solo world journey as a lady can’t solely be achieved, however that it might probably each protected, enjoyable, and rewarding as nicely.
Lastly, Kasia’s determination to experience throughout Europe on a bicycle fabricated from recycled elements actually made her stand out from the pack. As environmental and financial points grow to be extra essential subjects of dialog in each our native societies and our world as a complete, it’s fascinating to see somebody like Kasia take one thing as environmentally pleasant as biking, and push it even additional by deciding to experience throughout Europe on a bicycle fabricated from recycled elements.
Because the recipient of this 12 months’s Bicycle Touring Professional Journey Scholarship, Kasia might be receiving $500 USD for use in the direction of her bicycle experience throughout Europe. Whereas Kasia might select to have some or all of this cash donated to the charity that she is selecting to characterize, my hope is that Kasia will use this cash to buy (or no less than pay for a small a part of) her recycled bicycle.
Moreover, I hope that by being named because the recipient of this 12 months’s BTP Journey Scholarship, Kasia will get the press and media consideration that she hopes to obtain in each Canada, Poland, and the varied elements of the world that she intends to experience via on her bicycle tour. Hopefully the status from this small scholarship will assist her get the media consideration she’s going to wish to be able to attain her purpose of elevating $10,000 for literacy applications in India.
Thanks to everybody who made this 12 months’s Bicycle Touring Professional Journey Scholarship a actuality – these of you who donated to the scholarship fund, those that utilized for the scholarship itself, and everybody right here at BicycleTouringPro.com.
To be taught extra about Kasia, her bicycle tour throughout Europe, and her purpose of elevating $10,000 CAD for World Literacy Canada, remember to go to her web site at: ridetoread.wordpress.com. Should you really feel inclined to assist Kasia on her mission, remember to hit the donate button on her “About” web page.
Congratulations Kasia… and we stay up for listening to about your bicycle tour from Spain to Turkey in your recycled bicycle!
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