Rickshaw Olympics

It started the way all great things do, beneath a darkening moon in the midst of brilliant conversation.

As travel bans lifted and borders opened in the embers of 2020, Marea Foundation had the privilege of hosting several professors from Palm Beach Atlantic University so they could “kick the tires“ on our various projects. On our last night in the country, an idea started to form and solidify: What if we started a race circuit in Trujillo using auto-rickshaws and called it the “Rickshaw Olympics“?

So we did. We found sponsors and worked with various government agencies to ensure the racers would have a clear track through the streets in the downtown events. We even purchased a rickshaw of our own to fix up and compete. Palm Beach Atlantic University sponsored two rickshaw teams, as well. What started as an idea and had nearly been waved off as a joke had become a full-blown, community-wide event poised to make a neon splash on the drab background of the COVID-19 pandemic.

As race preparations began in earnest, the Marea team realized that far more important than any entrance fee or monetary prize would be the abundant currency of community. Trujillo has been locked down for a long time, and the disconnection in this region is palatable. As the COVID-19 vaccine becomes available, we’re flooding the market with community in hope of jump-starting its recovery. Masks will still be required and sanitation stations will dot as many corners as we can afford, but community and connection will be in even greater supply.

Stay up-to-date on the latest developments here.