Five young men cycling to raise awareness of the plight of child soldiers

I met an inspiring group of young men today on Parliament Hill. They are planning to cycle from Ottawa to St. John's, Newfoundland to raise awareness of the plight of child soldiers around the world.

They're going to blog and vlog their journey and have some good links at their website childsoldiercycle.ca on the extent of this horrendous problem. Here's some info from their website:

Do you know anyone between the ages of nine and seventeen…and are they generally happy, well-fed, and protected?

Of course, right? But did you know that if you lived in parts of Africa, Asia, Latin America or Europe…the kids you’re thinking of could be among a quarter of a million children serving—or being forced to serve—in a military capacity?

Child Soldiers…

Imagine children signing up to become soldiers. Voluntarily—out of fear, a lack of alternatives, peer pressure, or a desire for revenge in a violent society. Imagine others being forcibly abducted by military groups, and kept as slaves.

They leave on Sunday after receiving a blessing at St. Joe's parish and a little rally on Parliament Hill.

This is not fundraising campaign but an attempt to get people to sign hand prints indicating they want the media to cover this largely untold story.

So I did mine.

Their names are Benjamin Gunn-Doerge, 18, who is going to St. F-X in the fall. Jamie MacDonald, 18, also of St. Joe's, who is going to Queen's this fall; his brother Sandy MacDonald, 15, who is going into grade 10, Matthiue Halle,, from St. Joseph the Worker parish in Victoria, B.C. , 18, and Philip Schliehauf, 19, who is in his second year at Queen's and also attends St. Joe's.

Phil is the one on the unicycle. Last year he unicycled along from Victoria to Ottawa last year collecting funds for Invisible Children.