SINGAPORE , Oct. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Asia, the regional NGO, donated 500 bicycles to children in Binh Duong Province of Vietnam through the '1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights' program. The bicycle handover ceremonies were held in conjunction with the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards 2022 Vietnam.

In 2018, the UNESCO Institute for Statistics recorded 258 million out-of-school children and youth. In response to the global issue of out-of-school children, the '1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights' program was initiated with the mission to provide a pillar of hope for children and their families across Asia.

Children in rural areas are the primary victims of the issue as geographical location and poverty factor heavily into out-of-school rates among children and youth. Thus, the program seeks to provide bicycles to children in the rural parts of Asia to help ease their journeys to school and gain access to education.

The '1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights' program will continue to provide bicycles to underprivileged children across Asia throughout the upcoming years to help build a brighter future for the new generation. 

"Every ride we provide helps to fuel the hopes and dreams of these children and their families. The hope for access to education along with the dream for a better life. The bicycles are not only meant as modes of transport for school, but they are also tools for them to strive for greatness." said Tan Sri Dr. Fong Chan Onn, Chairman of Enterprise Asia.

The handover ceremonies were held at Tan Thanh Secondary School and Tan Binh Secondary School. Ms. Huynh Thi Minh Ha and Mr. Nguyen Tan Anh, Deputy Head of Education and Training Department of Bac Tan Uyen District, Mr. Gaurav Sharma, CEO & General Director of BIDV MetLife Life Insurance LLC, were among the attendees.

The beneficiaries were selected from 14 schools in Binh Duong province by the Ministry of Education Vietnam, which includes Thuong Tan Primary School, Dat Cuoc Primary School, Lac An Primary School, Tan Lap Primary School, Hieu Liem Primary School, Tan Thanh Primary School, Tan Dinh Primary School, Huynh Thi Chau Primary School, Tan Thanh Secondary School, Tan My Secondary School, Binh My Secondary School, Tan Binh Primary School, Lac An Secondary School, and Tan Binh Secondary School.

The partners and co-sponsors for the '1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights' are BIDV MetLife Life Insurance LLC, Dong Tay Promotion, Vinh Hoan Corporation, and Audience Analytics Limited.

About Enterprise Asia

Enterprise Asia is a non-governmental organization in pursuit of creating an Asia that is rich in entrepreneurship as an engine towards sustainable and progressive economic and social development within a world of economic equality. Its two pillars of existence are investment in people and responsible entrepreneurship. Enterprise Asia works with governments, NGOs and other organizations to promote competitiveness and entrepreneurial development, in uplifting the economic status of people across Asia and in ensuring a legacy of hope, innovation and courage for the future generation. Please visit www.enterpriseasia.org for more information.

About 1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights

1 Million Bikes, 1 Million Lights is a corporate social responsibility initiative by Enterprise Asia. In the most rural and impoverished parts of Asia, thousands of children trek through dirt roads just to go to school and back, some covering a total  distance of a few kilometres a day. This initiative seeks to ease the journey to school for children in these areas by providing them with bicycles. With every ride provided, it provides a pillar of hope for the children, their families and eventually the villages. For more information, visit www.childfundasia.org/1millionbikes/  

SOURCE Enterprise Asia