Projects
On an FTW ride, you totally immerse yourself in the event. Our hosts set the itinerary to maximize our intake of culture, history and social conditions. There’s usually a lavish feast or two and sometimes a trip to the souk for souvenirs, but mostly there's very little down time. The local people are so generous and hospitable that every woman yearns to GIVE BACK.
We reciprocate their generosity by returning to our communities and enlightening our friends, family and colleagues with slideshows, newspaper articles. The FTW motto is "Go. See. Tell. Act." Yet and still there has been a yearning by FTW members to mature our actions into something concrete as well. All donations are tax deductible either through the international office's British-registered charity or the USA Team's incorporated not-for-profit fiscal sponsor.
Playgrounds
In 2008 we went the Aqbat Jabr Palestinian refugee camp in Jericho. We witnessed the deteriorated state of the camp’s playground with virtually all equipment broken. A huge portion of the camp’s 7,000 residents are children. The British team resolved to get the kids a decent playground, subscribing to the popular Right to Play concept (opens new window). Roughly $7,000 was needed just to repair the old slides and swings. Not only were the funds raised, but Elaine Morton, Detta Regan and Pippa Ochonski traveled to Jericho with a youth program to help re-build the playground and left their “signature,” a lovely mural of the FTW logo. It was exhilarating to visit Aqbat Jabr playground in 2009 and see the real results.
The Aqbat Jabr playground was so successful that a second playground project was undertaken in Al Ram refugee camp. The city of Al Ram in the West Bank spans all the way to East Jerusalem. In 2009 we went to the Al Ram playground and we were truly giddy to see the children’s play site with new equipment.
BEFORE
AFTER
Hats off to the British team, particularly Pippa Ochonski and Elaine Morton, for conceiving the playground project in Palestinian refugee camps and for their dogged determination to achieve results. Special recognition must likewise go to the California team who raised a mighty $14,000 in funds for the FTW Playground Project just through word of mouth and letter writing. We are humbled by all your efforts. Janet Fogel of California made a You Tube video with playground footage when we biked to Aqbat Jabr in 2009. Fast forward the video to 6:20 minutes to see us playing there. (viddeo opens in new window)
FTW could not have succeeded in the Playground project without the help of a local Palestinian organization, Sharek Youth Forum (opens new window) Sharek is run by youth and for youth, working to empower youth in Palestinian society. It was gratifying to meet several members in Al Ram solidifying a personal touch with our partner
FTW is keen on raising funds for a playground project in Gaza.
Medical Kits to Gaza
During the Israeli invasion of Gaza (late December, 2008 to January 17, 2009) the Jordanian FTW team organized medical kits to be sent to Gaza. The Jordanian team worked ridiculously long hours to get the kits put together. They raised the money, bought the supplies, assembled them into medical kits and made sure they were safely delivered to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Gaza during the conflict. They made sure that foreign instructions for usage of the medical supplies were translated into Arabic. We are proud of the Jordanian team’s magnificent effort. Read more here.
Ramallah Counseling Center
In 2005, primarily through the impetus and efforts of the British team, FTW sent 20,000 British pounds to the Palestine Youth Union for a counseling center in Ramallah. The overall objective of the centre is to increase the quality
of counselling activities and provide the community with psychological
services.
FTW chose this because it lies in one of the most harmed areas of
the Occupation, with many injured in Ramallah and many closed areas by Israeli forces. Ramallah has a huge number of unemployed and ex detainee youth. It is also in an
area with early married cases, school drop outs 
cases, youth with sexual
problems and where there is a lack of counselling institutions working with
young people.
Kathy Schroeder, former coordinator of the Canadian team, suggested each lady bring a stuffed animal to leave with children in Ramallah. Her father was unable to deliver a box of stuffed animals to an orphanage in Romania and Kathy brought them all with her on the 2005 ride. They were left in Ramallah at the youth counseling center.
Photo Banner, Shirley Clarke, Detta Regan holding Teddy, Pip Ochonski at the playground FTW helped fund in Al Ram refugee camp of UK Team, by Elaine Morton, UK
Photo Gallery Top Left FTW magic show for children in Amman, Jordan by Besty Schwartz, US Top Center Aqbat Jabr playground, by Elaine Morton, UK Top Right Syrian girl by Colleen McGuire, NY Middle Left Al Ram playground by Elaine Morton, UK
Middle Center, Young boys Kim Mander of Colorado - Middle Right Al-Ram playground
Bottom Left Syrian children Bottom Center, Al-Ram playground Bottom Right, Syrian girl by Colleen McGuire, NY
Playground photos by Elaine Morton, UK. Stuffed animals for Ramallah children, by Kathy Schroeder, Canada