Overview:
A long-awaited dream came true for Angaur schoolchildren when 21 donated bicycles were handed out to students, teachers and the school cook. Beyond bringing smiles, the bicycles are expected to help students get to school on time, stay active and develop healthier habits.
By: L.N. Reklai
ANGAUR, Palau (Oct. 24, 2026) — “You don’t know how many years I have been dreaming of a bike and finally my dream has come true,” one Angaur Elementary School student wrote in a thank-you letter after receiving a donated bicycle Saturday, Oct. 24.
The student was among 21 recipients of bicycles donated by private sponsors in Palau and abroad to students, teachers and a cook at Angaur Elementary School.
The donation brought excitement to the island’s nine elementary school students and nine students taking high school classes online. The school also has five teachers and one cook.
For the students, the bicycles represent more than a gift. They offer a way to get to school faster, run errands for their families, enjoy outdoor activities and spend less time on their phones.
The bicycles arrived at the school a week before the handover and were stored in a classroom. Every day, students peered through the classroom windows, eagerly waiting to see the bicycles they would soon receive.
On Saturday, the students gathered outside the classroom before being called inside one by one to collect a bicycle with their name on it.
Their excitement was evident in the smiles and expressions of amazement as each child received a bicycle. Boys and girls of different ages appeared to find the bicycles they had hoped for.
One young student, Aliang, smiled when asked whether she knew how to ride a bicycle.
She said she did not know how yet, but she would learn.
Another student, Skky, received a light purple bicycle and said she loved it.
A high school student said the bicycle would help him get to school on time and allow him to run errands.
The students also wrote heartfelt thank-you letters to their sponsors, expressing appreciation for the gifts and explaining what the bicycles would mean to their daily lives.
One student wrote:
“You don’t know how many years I have been dreaming of a bike and finally my dream has come true. This will help me get to school faster when I am running out of time. Also, when my grandma needs something at the store, I can ride my bike there. Thank you for working so hard to make money just to buy a bike meant for me.”
The donation was organized by Marvin Ngirutang, who said the idea came from school principal Tiffany Kasiano.
Kasiano had told him that the students needed healthier activities. Bicycles, she said, could help ensure students arrive at school on time while encouraging physical activity instead of spending too much time on their phones.
Ngirutang said the bicycles were intended to support both school attendance and healthier habits among the students.
Hilo Belau Ohana, one of the sponsors from outside Palau, said the bicycles could encourage students to stay active beyond the school day.
“When they bike to and from school or even biking outside of school hours like to swim, it promotes good physical and mental health,” the sponsor said. “We hope this will contribute to the young students continuing to be part of their community.”
President Surangel Whipps Jr., also one of the sponsors, said the donation was intended to encourage exercise and healthier lifestyles.
“The bikes are to promote exercise. Healthy islands are wealthy islands,” Whipps said.
The 21 bicycles were donated by private sponsors both in Palau and overseas. The recipients included students in grades one through 12, teachers and the school’s cook.
For the children, the handover marked the fulfillment of a long-awaited wish. Their letters showed how the bicycles could make everyday tasks easier, from getting to school on time to helping grandparents with errands.
The donation also reflected the sponsors’ hope that the bicycles would encourage students to remain active, participate in their community and develop healthier habits.