Teens bike to raise awareness about child soldiers
Posted Jul 29, 2010 By Katie Stewart
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EMC News- There are 250,000 child soldiers in use around the globe today. And a group of five passionate and determined teens from Ottawa want to see that number change. 
Katie Stewart, Ottawa East EMC
Phil Schliehauf and Benjamin Gunn-Doerge are gearing up for their 29 day-long bike tour to St. John's, Newfoundland to raise awareness for child soldiers.
Four cyclists and one unicyclist, ranging from the ages of 15-19 will be leaving Ottawa on August 1 and riding 1,800 km to Atlantic Canada to raise awareness about the use of child soldiers around the world.
"Child soldiers are the most unrecognized form of abuse in the world," said Phil Schleihauf, the unicyclist on the trip, who will be riding the largest unicycle available and assures that it's not as difficult as it looks.
The Child Soldier Cycle, which will take 29 days, will go across Eastern Canada, stopping at events in 24 communities along the way to spread the message.
"We want better coverage on child soldiers and we will be talking to people at events both big and small," he said.
While in high school, Mr. Schleihauf said he felt he was well informed on social issues but was shocked to learn some of the statistics on child soldiers in places like Uganda and Sierra Leone and was surprised that the issue received little media attention.
"If this was happening here, people would be outraged," he said, explaining further that in the last decade, one child every three minutes has been killed in armed conflict.
Last year, he completed his first unicycle tour from British Columbia to Ottawa to raise awareness on the issue. It took him 79 days.
"It was definitely harder mentally than it was physically."
Once he returned to Ottawa, he was ready to plan his next cycle, and his friend from church, Ben Gunn-Doerge was excited to sign up.
With volunteerism running in the family, Ben volunteered with Free the Children and went to Ecuador to build homes at age 14.
While he was there, he was given the advice from a colleague to choose one social issue and know it inside and out so you can speak up about it to others. And like his friend, Ben couldn't believe what he read about child soldiers.
"I had a good childhood, I got to play and go to school. Some of these kids get taken at the age of five," he said.
Ben became heavily involved in the issue by becoming the organizer of the Gulu UN walk in Ottawa and attending lectures of former child soldiers.
"Listening to some of the things that they have went through, it's unimaginable," he said.
The lack of media attention and the drive to shed light on the issue inspired the two young men to team up with three other boys who are passionate about the cause.
"I'm excited to be finished organizing and just get out and ride," said Mr. Schleihauf, laughing.
During the ride, they will be staying with friends and in churches until they eventually end in St. John's, Newfoundland.
"It sends a really strong message," said Ben. "We are ordinary youth that are taking risks and without that, there would be no progress or change."
The boys will be biking up to 127 km some days with packs on their backs and a small car that will follow with a banner showing their cause.
During each public event, the group said they aren't looking for exposure or money. Instead, all they want is a handprint.
"The red hand print is the international symbol for child soldiery," said Mr. Schleihauf, as he pulled out the handprints from his last cycle that include the names of people from across Western Canada.
Both Ben and Mr. Schleihauf said they feel that the handprint is a powerful image that is much more personal than a scribbled signature and will provide a visual for the issue.
"Anyone can sign something or donate money," said Ben. "This makes them participate in the issue."
The ride will be the longest Ben has ever done and his journey will finish in the part of the country where he will be attending his first year of university, at St. Francis Xavier.
"It will be intense, but having a cause to ride for will keep me going," he said. "I didn't want to regret not doing this."
For Mr. Schleihauf, his second unicycle ride will make him the second person to unicycle coast-to-coast across the country.
During their trip, the riders will have three video cameras that will document their ride. They will be putting them on Youtube to keep friends and family updated. They also have a Facebook page and Twitter account that they will be updating daily.
They are leaving from Parliament Hill on Aug. 1 on their trip of a lifetime and are looking forward to collecting as many red handprints as they can.
"Even just talking to one person is a step in the right direction," said Ben.
For more information or to send a red handprint in support of ending child soldiery, please visit www.childsoldiercycle.ca.
kstewart@theemc.ca
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