Flood victims' woes bring Belgian biker to their help

Much has been written about the flash floods that wreaked havouc through the entire length of Pakistan for the last three months. These floods destroyed some 2 million houses besides affecting some twenty million poor villagers and their families, including 600,000 children. They continue to live in makeshift tent villages, hoping to go back to nothing and start all over again, as the floods swept away everything that came its way including the fragile mud houses.

While the world community responded generously, there have been instances where individuals have contributed from their own to help the flood victims. A Chinese lad donated $ 200,000 while a nine old Turkish girl donated her entire year’s pocket money and favourite doll. To add to the list of these beautiful and generous people is the nine-time world trial biking champion Kenny Belaely. Kenny is currently touring Pakistan to raise funds for the flood victims of Pakistan. He is touring various cities of Pakistan and with his awe inspiring biking skills is not only entertaining his audience, but also raising funds in the process. Impressed by the ordinary Pakistan, Kenny confides to a news reporter, ““Pakistanis are very nice, friendly, warm welcomers and kind hearted, and I would love to come a hundred times to this country.” This impresses me and every Pakistani and we thank him for coming all the way from Belgium for a cause. He intends sending the fund money through the Belgian government and has named the project as Pakistan 1-2,1-2.

As for his biking performances, these are extraordinary and masterly. He can make a side hop from some twelve feet by jumping his bike from ground level and positioning it on a wooden table. He also demonstrates gap jumps over three meters gap beside many other interesting and challenging loops and skills. I saw it on the TV last night and was really impressed by this young man of barely 22. The best part came when he invited a young girl from the audience dressed in red to lie on ground with stretched legs and arms and then he hopped his bike over her body so masterly without his bike wheels ever touching her. The same way the magicians throw the dagger on the apple placed on the head of the volunteer. He intends sending the fund money through the Belgian government and has named the project as Pakistan 1-2,1-2.

His cause and the skills impress me and every Pakistani and we thank him for coming all the way from Belgium to be with us in this hour of distress.