Child Protection Japan Project #44484

KIWL 2021 Events

by YouMeWe NPO

Project Report | Oct 4, 2021
KIWL 2021Events-Report

By Michael Clemons | Founder

Getting fit and giving back continues to be the mantra by the Knights in White Lycra who have never let the pandemic get in the way of adjusting, re-inventing, and pivoting in the face of many challenges.

While it is very clear that the children in the homes continue to need to be supported, the enthusiasm by either fundraising or creative ways to make the live events virtual are just many ways that KIWL has been moving forward in 2020 and 2021.

Meanwhile, YouMeWe has been meeting weekly with children in the homes whether it was socially distanced coding classes at St.Francis or the team remotely working with volunteer instructors to build their own typing software. Many skillsets are being applied by the team members.

We also are teaching HTML courses and IT Passport lessons while we have volunteers from around the globe volunteering their time to teach online and mentor the kids in person.

After KIWL member Andy Abbey's ride along the coast of Japan, we mapped the children's homes along the route and started to call them to see if they were interested in joining our program or at least receiving computers. Donated machines are brought in and the kids are conditioning with new operating systems and then shipping out.

Several hundred laptops have been committed to us as companies are refreshing their inventory and more people are working from home. This allows us to not only upgrade the original laptops bought in 2013 but expand our reach to as far south as Nagasaki, 4 new homes in Kyoto, 1 in Osaka as we continue to teach weekly in Nagoya, Tokyo, and Tohoku.

We look forward to the October KIWL 500km challenge as well as the GoGo Run in November as more events leading up to the KIWL Santa Ride in December.

We really appreciate everyone's continued support and marvel at how much we are able to accomplish with your generous help.

Thank you,

YouMeWe NPO

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Jun 7, 2021
KIWL 2021 Bike Ride Report

By Michael Clemons | Founder

We cannot be more thankful for the continued support of Knights in White Lycra. We recall the first phone call when we were introduced. We were at Ueno Zoo and she said, “they are a group who wear white lycra and ride bikes to raise money for charity". I recall saying, "Ok, this should be interesting". We met in 2017 before the NPO was official and then in 2018 after we were official, were asked to give an update of the NPO.

We had no idea the support, energy and funding that would go on over the next few years. We had no idea that they actually do not wear White Lycra. I do not believe anyone has an idea what goes into the preparation, dedication and commitment every rider has to make it through the annual 500km 4 day ride.

2020 threw everyone for a loop. That did not stop anyone's commitment to GET FIT AND GIVE BACK. The group pivoted and made the events more online friendly, increased the banter and the challenges via STRAVA and Facebook posts. Rob Williams did not stop bringing on donors and corporate sponsors who did not let the pandemic get in their way of support.

The laughter, the sweat and sometimes the tears cannot be explained until you click in and pedal. You see the beauty of the country from the mountains to the river sides to all the hidden paradises on a bike.

The other beauty of the model of KIWL where they help fledgling NPOs to get a foot up is that it is not just a "one off" event. In turn they are able to see the 19 year old who was offered a job by a huge tech company yesterday. They are able to hear not only from the girl who started her new job on April 1st due to the network of KIWL but also the president of the company singing her praises in a separate letter. As well as most high school graduates in the homes we support in Tohoku, Tokyo and Nagoya all either found a job or have continued their education.

During the pandemic the children who graduated high school and went on to university were soon sent back home to study online and many were stumped. They did not have their own device to participate in online classes. The joy of sending them a new laptop so they did not miss a beat is amazing. The young adult whose PC blows up and they have no one to turn to as there are no family members supporting them and YouMeWe (which is what the name stands for) is there for them.

We have seen so many smiles on the kids faces who we invested in or shared with or helped have an experience for the first time. It is amusing when you are sitting next to a child at a computer and reaching over to help them key in the code of a line and they smack your hand away as they want to be able to do it by themselves.

When younger kids get it faster than the older kids and help them. When the teachers are learning from the kids. When we have high school kids in American teaching high school kids in Tokyo. Volunteers in Sendai teaching online to all homes that can connect. Ambassadors who have aged out of the homes running their own coding, Microsoft certification and IchigoJam sessions for the younger kids.

This work is never done.

Making sure children are connected in this information society we now live in is essential.

Your support in helping us do the best we can to help these kids get on with it and do the best they can is immeasurable in written terms.

Thank you again for your continued support and we pedal on in June's 500km 5,000m challenge.

Regards,

Michael Clemons

Founder

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Feb 4, 2021
YouMeWe NPO Update for KIWL 2021 Bike Ride

By Michael Clemons | YouMeWe NPO, Founder and KIWL member 2020-2021

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