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cally improve healthcare services and
facilities for mothers and newborn ba-
bies, primarily in Bong Mieu and Phuoc
Son areas.
According to a report released last
September by the East Meets West
Foundation, which will partner with
Besra to carry out the healthcare pro-
ject over three years, these areas lack
basic medical facilities and good nurse
care. “We see a real need for improved
healthcare facilities near our two mine
sites in the central Vietnam province of
Quang Nam,” says Seton.
“We are also working closely with
Quang Nam’s Department of Health so
that we together will deliver the posi-
tive impact of this project in the most
efficient way,” he adds.
The project has two key aims. First-
ly, to decrease the maternal mortality
rate in the selected districts through
improved emergency obstetric care
in district hospitals and training for a
group of traditional birth attendants.
Furthermore, they hope to decrease
the level of infant mortality and mor-
bidity through the provision of im-
proved newborn care services at the
district level and in selected communal
health centers.
WHY THE HONDA 67?
The iconic Honda 67 was one of
the first mass market bikes in Vietnam.
1967 was a monumental year in his-
tory. It was the year that Muhammed
Ali was imprisoned for refusing military
service, The Beatles released their hit
song, All You Need Is Love, and the
US launched the largest offensive of
their war in Vietnam. It was also the
year that Honda exported its SS50 to
Vietnam. The SS50 was a sport inspired
moped, with a top speed of 90km/h.
Although it wasn’t as fast as its competi-
tors, the SS50, was more reliable and
offered stronger pulling capacity.
One evening, while out in Danang’s
Bamboo Bar, the Besra executives met
a young Vietnamese 67 owner. They
were curious about the bike and told
Diem, the bar owner, how great they
thought it was. It turned out that Diem
had her own 67 story.
Her father was the only man in her
village with a Honda 67, back before
she was born. This was in the early
1980s. As was the norm then, Diem
was born in a medical center far from
her village. Her father put her preg-
nant mother on the back of the Honda
and rode her there. This was nothing
unusual – at that time every pregnant
woman in the village was driven by
Diem’s father to the same hospital on
the same Honda 67.
The vehicle was effectively an am-
bulance and the Besra executives were
totally blown away by the story. It was
Diem’s tale that inspired them to think
about riding 67s the length of Vietnam
to raise money for women’s health.
“Everybody in Vietnam knows the
bike,” Seton says. “It means something
to Vietnamese people. We want to
ride these special bikes as we think if
we are going to give back to Vietnam,
we should do it in the most meaning-
ful way.”
You can follow the Seton broth-
ers adventure on
www.facebook.com/
honda67ride
or
www.twitter.com/hon-
da 67ride
.
Left: Besra has initiated several pro-
jects to support children and people
in the areas where it operates
Below: The brothers and their classic
bikes
We want to ride
these special
bikes as we
think if we are
going to give back to
Vietnam, we should do it
in the most meaningful
way