A Northwich dad is joining his daughter who is volunteering in Cambodia to provide the pedal power for an innovative project to stimulate children’s imaginations.

Sixty-six-year-old Alan Kemp is seizing the opportunity to give something back when he visits daughter Lucy, who is in the South East Asian country working on environmental education and grants with the NGO Sustainable Cambodia, this month.

Lucy, 23, has become the blogger, photographer and fundraiser for the Tuk Tuk Theatre, a side project of Sustainable Cambodia which she says aims to ‘spread a bit of happiness’.

Lucy and a team of fellow volunteers visited eight remote villages in June, screening Donald Duck, The Lion King and David Attenborough documentaries on a mobile entertainment unit powered by a modified bicycle which is attached to a tuk tuk – Cambodia’s most common mode of transport – for youngsters, many of whom spend their time outside of school working in rice fields and have never watched a television before.

Cambodian villagers enjoy the Tuk Tuk Cinema
Cambodian villagers enjoy the Tuk Tuk Cinema

Lucy explained: “Cambodia has one of the largest concentrations of NGOs in the world, but very few focus on the imagination of children.

“We believe that children’s imaginations should be nourished, that a child should see new things every day – things that make them laugh, dream or absolutely flabbergasted.”

And on Monday, August 10, Weaver Valley Cycling Club member Alan will ride the stationary tuk tuk-bike for two hours continuously to generate the 14 volts required to play a film.

“I am prepared for the task if it means bringing a smile to these lovely children,” he said. “I think what the team is doing there is inspiring.”

The team is hoping to raise enough money to ensure the longevity of the Tuk Tuk Theatre and to employ somebody specifically to focus on community education.

For more information about the project, click here.