PEPY
PEPY--an acronym for Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself--is an NGO based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. PEPY is alternately known as The PEPY Ride (so-named after its signature bicycle trip across Cambodia) and PEPY Tours. According to the PEPY website (www.pepyride.org), PEPY's mission is
- To support rural Cambodian communities through greater educational opportunities and increased access to education.
- To encourage Adventure Travel which emphasizes social action, responsibility and accountability.
PEPY Tours
PEPY organizes and runs tours of Cambodia that, depending on the type of trip, usually fall under the umbrella of voluntourism and always under Responsible Tourism. GeneRally, each participant is required to raise a sum of money to be given as a donation to support PEPY's projects. PEPY tours attempt to encourage travelers to engage in rural Cambodia through eco-friendly bicycle tours and volunteer trips. A typical voluntour may include some of the following activities:
- visits to the PEPY Ride School in Chanleas Dai
- visits to orphanages in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh
- educational trips to poor villages, such as the floating villages of the Tonle Sap lake
- meetings with various other NGOs in Cambodia
- time to explore Angkor Wat and nearby ruins
- trips by bicycle across Cambodia
Programs
One of PEPY's most popular programs has been its "Bike-to-School" Program. The PEPY website states that the purpose of this program is to increase access to education by Providing bicycles to students in rural areas as a reward for excellent attendance, incentive and means of accessing further education.
The PEPY Schools Program was PEPY's pilot program and was initially the focus of PEPY's fundraising. The PEPY website states that the goal of the PEPY Schools Program is to build, operate and improve sustainable government schools in rural Cambodia. The PEPY Ride School in Chanleas Dai, Siem Reap Province is currently the focus of this program, and an additional school--called the PEPY Friends School--recently opened in Stung Treng Province.
The Road to Literacy Program is PEPY's newest program. In combination with the School Program, PEPY opened the first library at The PEPY Ride School and is currently initiating a program to build and support libraries in rural areas. In addition to the library room and the books, PEPY will hire a local community member as the literacy teacher and fund their librarian and literacy training. The teacher will run the library and work in combination with local education programs to offer literacy classes to all students. In the future, PEPY aspires to offer evening programs to adults and students who are unable to attend formal schooling.
PEPY supports various other projects, such as the building of rainwater collection units, and various NGOs in Cambodia.
History and Organization
PEPY was founded in 2005 by Daniela Papi and Greta Arnquist. The first PEPY trip was a bicycle ride across Cambodia, spawning the name "The PEPY Ride". In addition to the efforts of volunteers, several Cambodian employees and PEPY interns help run the organization from the PEPY office in Phnom Penh.
Partners
PEPY partners with a variety of organizations to fill education, environmental and health program needs. According to the PEPY website, PEPY seeks out responsible and innovative organizations with similar missions and leverages their expertise to accomplish common goals. The website states that PEPY's value comes from the conglomeration of best-practices from partner organizations, a holistic approach to educational change, and the development of new programs in areas where a sustainable option is not currently available.
PEPY has partnered with these organizations: American Assistance for Cambodia/Japan Relief for Cambodia, Mlup Baitong, Cambodian Children's Fund, Cambodian Living Arts, Tempus International, Sustainable Cambodia, Resource Development International - Cambodia, Future Light Orphanage, Sangkheum Center for Children, Mines Advisory Group (MAG), YMCAs of Greater New Orleans, The Cardamom Project, The Starfish Project, and Save Cambodia's Wildlife.