The need for bicycles in Africa
Re~Cycle works through trusted partners.
Help us in Africa
If you'd like a 'working holiday' helping to set up a project in Africa, or helping at an exisiting one, please get in touch.
Bike skills needed for set up, can be marketing, book keeping or such forth also, particulary for existing projects.
We are currently benefiting from work being done in Ghana by Jason, a long term supporter and volunteer. He has spent time visiting and liasing with our 2 Ghanaian partners, The Village Bicycle Project and The Ability Bikes Cooperative as well as helping to set up a new project, Ezetela in Dodowa. He regularly posts photographs of his experience on his Flickr.
The need for bicycles - Why we do what we do
- The South African Government commissioned a study to find out about the need for bikes, and found people walked an average of 4-hours per day. The study also found that children were walking 10 miles (16 km) to school, with many of the students who made it falling asleep in the class. This is compounded further by poor nutrition.
- Head loading, often done by young girls, is very common in Africa. However this puts strain on the neck, compressing the spine, and causing long term damage. Therefore as well as a means of transport, a bicycle can also be used instead of head loading.
- A lack of bicycle tools makes looking after bikes a problem. Re~Cycle supplies tools to help with this. The need for spare parts is very important. When we ship a 40-foot container, there is room underneath and in between the bikes for parts, and these are used to refurbish the bikes we send as well as bicycles already out there.
Below are some downloadable information sheets about these issues:
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