At the beginning of the year, we relaunched our United in Humanity Program. With new products and a changed approach to allocating the funds raised. These are no longer selectively passed on to many different projects. Rather, we would now like to support individual projects over a longer period of time in order to achieve the most sustainable impact possible.
With this in mind, we have been supporting the Frodeno Fun(d) in Spain since the beginning of the year. According to the motto "Cycling for a healthy future", the team around Emma and Jan Frodeno has made it its task to support children and young people in their personal development through sport. The heart of the Frodeno Fun(d) is a pump track, which was built as the first major project in Salt (Girona). It has long since established itself as a community meeting place and offers a safe environment for the children and young people, where the local team teaches them about cycling and also has an open ear for them. 
We have now made the first of four transfers from the United in Humanity pot planned for 2023. The funds are needed, for example, to repair bicycles, to purchase pads and helmets, and to pay trainers.
In order to bring you closer to the “Frodeno Fun(d)” project, we conducted a short interview with Irene. She is the director of the Frodeno Fun(d) and can be seen on the right in the following picture. 
Irene, what do you enjoy most about working for Frodeno Fun(d)?
Watching the kids grow and spending time with them. I met many of them at the inauguration of the pump track two years ago and spent many hours with them in the summer after the Corona pandemic and watched countless sunsets on the pump track. Over time, a small community has formed - our gang in Salt.
Today, Frodeno Fun(d) has more employees and I don't spend as much time with the children anymore. But when I have the opportunity I visit them and I like to talk to them, laugh with them, and see them grow as people. Some of them will turn 18 next year. They are slowly growing up and I wish that the values around sport that we teach them at Frodeno Fun(d) will help them to master their lives. I am happy when they are able to solve problems and fight for their goals - and to channel their feelings properly.
What developments do you see as a result of the project in recent years?
In Salt, the children are used to being given something and then being taken away without further explanation: social projects that don't last, people that come and go.
When we started the project they fought over bikes and helmets and spent many hours thinking that tomorrow they might not be able to enjoy the Frodeno Fun(d) anymore. I remember trying to explain to them that we had signed a 10-year contract. that they would not suffer. That we would still be there tomorrow and next week.
The community has now understood that we will be there for the long term. Everyone respects the rules on the pump track because we also play a very important role in the schools with our school program. All fifth graders come to us at least once per school year. For me, the best thing about these two years is seeing that the community accepts and trusts us. And to see that some of the children who have been there from the beginning - the older ones - are now volunteering to help us for free.
What are your plans for this year and where are donations most needed? What can a single donation do for the pump track?
Our most valuable asset is our 25 purple Canyon dirt bikes. We always make the necessary repairs, but after two years they need a proper check-up and some parts need replacing so our kids can use them safely.
We also offer our school program throughout the year. This means that there are free courses on our pump track in the mornings. In the afternoon we offer courses at very affordable prices, so they are open to all children who love cycling. For example, we can use the donations to pay the trainers.
Which people can benefit from the Frodeno Fun(d)?
All children who want to improve their technique with the bike. The Frodeno Fun(d) is an integrative project where all children have the same opportunities.
If you would like to help support the Frodeno Fun(d) as well, you can do so with your purchase from the United in Humanity Collection. The profit amount from the sale goes directly and without deductions to the Frodeno Fun(d). You can find all the details here.
