NEWBURY PARK, Calif. (BRAIN) — Liv/giant has increased its support of Mountain2Mountain, a program that helped create the first-ever National Women's Cycling Team in Afghanistan.
Last year the bike brand supplied six new race bikes and gear to the team and assisted in shipping other donated gear to Afghanistan; this year it will donate 53 new Liv/giant bikes, including 30 women's road bikes and 12 women's mountain bikes, plus gear and apparel to outfit the team.
Mountain2Mountain is a nonprofit organization founded by Shannon Galpin, a 2013 National Geographic Adventurer of the Year. Galpin, who is based in Colorado and has visited Afghanistan more than a dozen times, is now an official Liv/giant brand ambassador.
Mountain2Mountain's mission is to improve the lives of women and girls in regions of conflict. Since 2006, Galpin has worked in Afghanistan to create opportunities and empower women. Last year she helped facilitate Liv/giant's support of the Afghanistan team as it makes a bid to qualify for the 2020 Olympic Games.
"Liv/giant's support is instrumental to helping these brave women and girls realize their dreams," said Galpin. "Because of cultural stigmas, cycling is considered controversial for women in Afghanistan. So just by riding their bikes, and training to be athletes, these women are challenging gender barriers and promoting opportunities in their country."
"I am heading over this spring with all the bikes and gear to support the national team in Kabul, and to start a new mountain bike team in another part of the country," Galpin said. "It's a very exciting time, in the wake of elections there, to see cycling opportunities expand across the country."
More information: mountain2mountain.org.
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Shannon Galpin -
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Liv/giant bikes ready for shipment.
