‘Lugu Warriors’ cycling team cycles its way to confidence

With an aim of helping local youngsters improve their stamina, impersonal skills, attitude towards school learning, and ultimately develop a sense of self-worth, church member Jian Lian-zheng in Nantou, Lugu Township established a cycling group called the ‘Lugu Warriors’. Coach Jian Lian-zheng expressed that there is a serious population outflow in Nantou County, where many people in the prime of their life leave to make a living, leaving behind only the old, who often face a lot of economic pressure, and the very young, who have no one to teach them.

Coupled with the additional problems that children from the countryside rarely obey traffic rules and tend to not be so interested in schoolwork, after the church’s successful World Vision bike challenge camp, it was decided that cycling had a lot to offer. It is not only good physical exercise and helps to improve impersonal skills, but the team’s communication skills also improved and there was a real sense of achievement. In last November’s Nantou County High School Tournament, the team snatched eleven trophies giving these young warriors a real boost in confidence. With the help of the Eden Social Welfare Foundation, this winter vacation the team will embark on a twelve-day cycling trip around the island. Coach Jian Lian-zheng hopes that having this opportunity to venture beyond Lugu Township will really open up their horizons.

PeoPo 公民新聞

‘Lugu Warriors’ cycling team cycles its way to confidence (newstory)

URL:

http://www.peopo.org/portal.php?op=viewPost&articleId=100543

(以下是中文對照)

單車「鹿戰隊」　偏鄉學童騎出自信 ( 輔大生命力新聞 ) (newstory)

照片

教會傳道簡廉政在南投縣鹿谷鄉成立單車「鹿戰隊」，希望透過騎自行車的活動讓這些偏鄉地區的孩童在體能、人際關係及學習方面等有所改善，並能從中找尋自我價值。教練簡廉政表示，南投縣的人口外移嚴重，許多青壯年人出外打拼，留下來的多半都是老人和孩童，身旁沒人教導，經濟壓力又沉重。加上山上的孩子騎車不太會遵守交通規則，對課業又較沒興趣，教會在承辦世界展望會的單車挑戰營後，覺得成效不錯，於是便開始自行車體驗的教育活動，不只是健身，也能使人際關係、團隊溝通能力變好，獲得成就感等等。去年十一月，在南投縣國中小聯運中，車隊拿下十一面獎牌，讓這群騎士們信心大增，今年寒假更在伊甸基金會的協助下，展開為期十二天的單車環島，簡廉政希望他們走出鹿谷鄉，讓視野更加遼闊。

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