The Prekyang School Bike to School Program is one of the most impactful initiatives of the Sao Sary Foundation. It began with a simple idea: a bicycle can change a child’s life. For children in rural Cambodia, where schools are far from home and poverty is widespread, a bicycle is more than transportation — it is the bridge to education, opportunity, and a brighter future.
🌱 The Beginning – 2006
In 2006, the Sao Sary Foundation launched its first campaign. The goal was modest but powerful: to raise funds for 55 bicycles for the poorest children in Kampong Speu Province. For those children, a bicycle meant freedom from walking long distances, arriving at school exhausted, or dropping out altogether. That first campaign proved that small steps can create lasting change.
🚴 Growing Impact – 2018
Over the years, the program grew steadily. On November 27, 2018, SSF proudly distributed 600 bicycles to students in one of Cambodia’s 25 provinces. Each bicycle represented a child who could now attend school safely and consistently. By then, the program had become a movement, touching thousands of lives and proving that access to education begins with access to transportation.
📈 The Numbers Today
Since that first campaign, around 2,813 bicycles have been purchased and distributed to Cambodia’s poorest students. Each bicycle, imported from Japan, costs just $55 USD. For a child in rural Cambodia, that bicycle is the difference between dropping out and staying in school. It is the tool that keeps them in class, protects them from poverty, and gives them a chance to dream of a brighter future.
🌍 The Challenge
Although Cambodia’s cities continue to grow, 82% of the population still lives in rural areas. Village life is harsh, and most families lack access to basic facilities. Public schools are often 7 kilometers away, requiring children to cycle back and forth six days a week.
For poor families, the costs are overwhelming. With at least three school‑age children, parents must allocate $111 USD per child per year for a bicycle, uniforms, footwear, school bag, and supplies — plus $192 USD for daily pocket money. These expenses are impossible for families already struggling to survive. Without support, many children are forced to leave school early, perpetuating the cycle of poverty.
✨ The Future – What We Can Do Together
The Prekyang School Bike to School Program is not finished. Each year, SSF increases the number of bicycles distributed, reaching more children and more provinces. The vision is clear: no child should be denied education because of distance or poverty.
This is where you come in. By sponsoring a bicycle, you give a child the chance to continue their education. You protect them from dropping out, and you empower them to dream of a brighter future.
- $55 USD = One bicycle for a child in need
- $111 USD = Full school kit (bicycle, uniforms, footwear, bag, supplies)
- $192 USD = Pocket money support for one year
Every donation, no matter the size, changes a child’s life.
🤝 Join Hands With Us
The Sao Sary Foundation invites you to be part of this journey. Together, we can protect the poorest children by offering them opportunities to stay in school.
👉 Donate a bicycle today: ssf.give.asia/campaign/bike2school
👉 Become a fundraiser: ssf.give.asia/fundraise/new
💬 Closing Inspiration
From 55 bicycles in 2006 to 2,813 bicycles today, the journey of the Sao Sary Foundation proves that small actions create big change. The Prekyang School Bike to School Program is more than transportation — it is hope, opportunity, and the promise of education.
Together, we can write the next chapter of this story — one bicycle, one child, one future at a time.
