WHY WE RIDE

Here at Ride For Change we are proud to support Gateway Children’s Fund (GCF) - a comprehensive child development agency committed to partnering with the people of Papua New Guinea (PNG) to improve the lives of
children in need.

And the need is great.

If you look at the statistics for the PNG region, out of every 1000 births, 48 babies don’t survive. In Australia, it is just 3. On top of that, children under 5 are vulnerable to preventable diseases like malaria, dysentery and malnutrition (just to name a few).

In Port Moresby, where GCF operates, there are many barriers to education; particularly for girls. With only 70% of boys and 50% of girls in PNG receiving any (even partial) education, largely due to school fee unaffordability. Early education is a huge key to unlocking and empowering change.

GCF began as an early childhood development program working with mothers and babies. It then grew to include playgroups and kinder programs. And now, over a decade later, the Gateway Christian School, which is managed by a team of local staff and teachers, is helping over 250 children every day.