The first time I went to Africa, I was 21. I was studying nursing and went to Ghana to do an internship. The school I was in had a connection to a hospital there and sent students regularly. It was a specialised orthopaedics hospital so there was a lot to learn in a different environment.
The trip was eye-opening. I had a perception of what to expect before I arrived. Once in Ghana, I saw a lot of poverty. Everything was different compared to the culture and lifestyle in Holland, but, after four months, spending time with the local people, I started seeing things differently.
I was fascinated by how people in Africa think. In my culture, it’s important to have a big house with a lot of stuff in it. I found people in Ghana didn’t put as much value on that. Ok, TV’s and cellphones seemed to be very important and desired, haha, but mostly, people cared about being healthy and having enough food and if there was enough money left over, they would spend it on others. It’s such a different way of thinking compared to what I was used to. It was a good lesson for me to learn as a 21-year-old. It made me realise the people aren’t as poor as I first thought because riches are quantified differently.
This is one of the many reasons I’m involved in a few projects to try to make a difference. I feel it’s necessary to help those less fortunate than ourselves. Life can be so different depending where you are born. People don’t get equal chances in life. It can be difficult to have a normal life when you’re born in Africa. That’s why organisations like Compassion – who I’m an ambassador for – exists. Compassion is a child sponsorship organisation dedicated to the long-term development of children living in poverty around the world.
One of the ways I’ve tried to help is through their Muskathlon. It’s a trip to Rwanda where you do a stage race on the bike or run. You must raise 10 000 Euros to do the trip and have a year to do so in preparation for the trip. The money goes towards the children at Compassion. They asked me to give the cycling part promotion and to give a clinic on how to prepare for a stage race. It’s great for people to step out of their comfort zones and do a stage race like this that you might not normally do in a different environment. It’s important to see how people live in other places and see what the needs are. I hope to do the trip one-day when my racing schedule allows it.
I feel like as professional athletes, we have the platform to help. We have opportunities to ask for things and spread messages that might not be so easy for others. It’s an easy decision for me. I don’t have a lot of spare time, but I’ve learnt we can help a little, and the end result is so much.
I have a child I sponsor with Compassion. Her name is Jennifer. We’ve shared letters with each other as Compassion allows you to be in contact with the children you’re helping. Recently, they played a movie at my wedding where Jennifer watched me winning the World Championships. Afterwards, she turned to the camera and said she’s proud of me and that she also likes riding a bike. She wants to be a nurse. It’s clear to see her family has hope for the future through the work great organisations like this are doing. I’m also happy to see that her brothers and sisters are also going to school because of Compassion’s work.
This year during the off-season, I went to Uganda with my new husband. We went to visit Bake for Life. My uncle is a baker by profession and he’s been running this organisation for the last 10 years. They’ve built four bakeries in Uganda and one in Kenya. It exists to employ people who are vulnerable in society. Disabled people, orphans, single mothers, and people who didn’t have a full education. The bakeries are on different compounds. One is connected to a school, another to a hospital. The bakeries supply people on the compound with good food and give people they employ skills and confidence for life.
I’ve found that if you’re generous and help others, it feels better than if you’re buying something for yourself. Not only for people from other countries but at home too. I like my life and even if I was just cycling and living for myself, I would still enjoy it, but I’ve gotten so much more enjoyment from helping others.
To learn more about Compassion International, go here: https://www.compassion.com/
To learn more about Bake for Life and how you can help, go here: www.bakeforlife.nl
Tags: anna van der breggen, la course, tour de france Last modified: Jan 20, 2020
