Diary & Travel Reports by Simon Milward

Motorcycles for Flowers report from LA

20 Jan 2002
From: simon @ millennium-ride.com
To: sponsors @ millennium-ride.com

News 20 February 2002

World biker shows motorcycles working for kids’ health

Round the world charity biker Simon Milward, emailing today from Los Angeles, shows the awful health condition of fellow human beings on the island of Flores Indonesia. The information is supplied by the Director of Health for All Mr Wili Bala.

“Facts like over half the people not having safe water, nearly a third having no access to health services, and nearly a half of children are undernourished makes you think how lucky most of us are. Our initiative on Flores uses a fleet of twelve zero-breakdown Yamahas to alleviate some of this hardship. It is a pilot project for all of Asia, who knows where it might lead. The other positive aspects of it are that the staff of the project are well trained and experienced in the right field, Mr Bala himself having worked for many years for Doctors Without Borders’ outreach program.

Transparency and value for money: nobody is getting rich from this, all money raised from kind donators is being spent in the field and the budget and accounts are being made available on the ‘net. Motorcycle image: motorcycles saving lives is great PR for biking. Gobal recognition for Corporate Donators: this is being read by thousands of people worldwide.

The biggest supporter at $6,000 of this project is AbateOfIndiana.org. It’s amazing how the biggest donations come from motorcyclists themselves, people helping people. The big international funders are staying away, well we’re not lining anyone’s pockets maybe that’s why.”

Milward continues, “I’m doing another lap of the States. In a few days I’ll update you on what’s happening recently and my forthcoming schedule. Most of you have helped in some way over the last years. I will be asking for your assistance again, not necessarily directly by cash. I know the US part of the trip is a bit of a break from the adventure of other countries, you’ll just have to bear with me.”

Hi Everyone

I thank these new Corporate Donators from the bottom of my heart:

LincTrailMotorsports ltmoffroad.com, IL, USA, $200
CustomChrome.com Ca USA $1,000
AbateofOregon.org USA $560
Rotax.Bombardier.com Austria 500Euro (about $450)

This brings Abate of Oregon’s total to nearly $1,000, which is the fourth largest donation from a Motorcycle Rights Organisation worldwide. The others came from Indiana, Alaska and South Suburban Chapter of Abate of Illinois.

Rotax’s is the first donation from Europe since George from Ireland came in with 500 Irish pounds about a year ago. (Rotax also pledged parts for an engine rebuild if needed before I head to South America and Africa later in the year.) Come on Europeans. Get yer money out! We’ll give a special mention to the very next donation from Europe OK? We can accept those new Euro things you have too.

Live your dreams. Help others. Donate.

Do it here: www.millennium-ride.com.

Thanks.

Simon Milward

Report from Wili in Flores
wilibalawala@yahoo.com

DATA ON EAST FLORES

Flores, named after Portuguese word Flowers, is an island located in the Eastern part of Indonesia. It is divided into 6 districts and is a part of East Nusa Tenggara Province. During previous regime who applied centralistic kind of government, Eastern Indonesia got the least attention from the central government. As a consequence, Flores as a part of Eastern Indonesia becomes a less developed region lacking various kinds of facilities including health facilities. Responding to the health problems experienced by people in East Flores and Lembata districts, Health for All (HfA) implements a program of Transport Resource Management specifically Managing Zero Breakdown Motorcycles for Rural Health Deliveries.

The following data on East Flores were taken from United Nations Development Program (UNDP) report on Human Development in 1999:

Total Number of the population : 276.034 people Per capita expenditure : Rp 84.600 (US$ 8.5: US$1=Rp10.0000) (total per month)
Life expectancy : 66 years old
Female in the labour force : 50.2 %
Number of poor People : 146.300 people
Poverty rate : 52.5 %
People not expected to survive age 40: 15.3 %
Population without access to health facilities: 29.9%
Population without access to save water: 54.7%
Undernourished children under 5 : 41.8%
Infant Mortality rate : 46%
Morbidity rate : 22.9%
Population with health problem : 35.6%
Average duration of illness : 6.3 days
Population self-medicating : 20.1%
Birth delivery not assisted by medical personnel: 40%
Household with access to save water : 45.3%
House with dirt floor : 57.8%
Household without access to sanitation: 32.5%

Knowing this terrible condition of the people, we hope that with your participation and that of Health for All, we could help alleviate people’s condition of life particularly their health condition.

Full description of Motorcycles For Flowers (the Flores Project run by Health for All) is at www.millennium-ride.com.