Bringing Joy Back to Traumatized Children Through Cycling
Mobile training teams equipped with bicycles are making a difference in the lives of children affected by the October 7 Massacre. The initiative called “Riding Forward,” organized by the Israel Bicycle Association (IBA) and Israel – Premier Tech (IPT), aims to inject moments of normalcy into the lives of these traumatized children.
Volunteer cycling instructors, including IPT Academy riders and members of the national team, are bringing smiles to the faces of children who have been through so much. They weave through kibbutzim and villages that are hosting evacuees from the south of Israel, offering a sense of joy and healing.
Despite the recent scars the children carry, they embrace the joy of riding and find solace in the simple act of being on a bicycle. The IBA and IPT Academy riders have witnessed the transformation and the powerful impact they can have on these children.
“Sharing the love of cycling with these children, offering them a semblance of normality and a piece of stolen childhood, it’s our immense honor,” said Dafna Lang, the chairperson of the Israeli Cycling Federation.
Buoyed by the success so far, the IBA plans to expand the project to the Dead Sea area, providing more evacuated families with the opportunity to find joy and healing through cycling.
