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FAQ - Africa Partner

African Partner info and FAQ

How it Works || FAQ For new partners || See Also

'How it works' (top)

Developing the partnership:

  • A potential partner submits an application to us
  • We carefully check the application
  • Where possible we will visit the potential partner
  • If we're satisfied with the application and have the resources, we can start a partnership!
  • Based on the number of bike we currently receive, we have a full schedule of shipments provisionally booked for 2012 and 2013

Shipping:

  • The African partner finds an import agent or importing partner (more info below)
  • Re~Cycle gets some shipping quotes + tell the partner the best one
    • Normally Re~Cycle arranges (and African partner pays) for shipping to the nearest coastal port
    • Sometimes, there is an "inland port" with a customs "bonded warehouse" that the container can be delivered to, either inland in a coastal country or in an inland "landlocked" country.
    • Very occasionally Re~Cycle arranges (and African partner pays) for shipping to the final destination, eg. town A. in country B although this option is not recommended by UK Shipping Companies
      • It may be cheaper to arrange the overland section from Africa
      • Local knowledge of local customs formalities is considered vital - something which is impossible to have in the UK
    • Which one to choose is a balance of cost saved v. knowing the parties to be efficient
  • The shipping cost (+ our fee) is wired to Re~Cycle's bank
  • Re~Cycle books the container to come for two days loading
  • Re~Cycle's brave volunteer team packs the container with bikes, tools and parts and it is taken to the UK port of loading (usually Felixstowe)
  • The container is loaded onto the ship which then sails to the nearest African port, sometimes with stops on the way
  • Re~Cycle prepares a loading list and e-mails this to the African partner, so they know what's coming.
  • While it is on the boat heading towards Africa, the UK shipping agent and shipping company prepare the Bill of Lading (BoL) and this is sent out to the African partner by courier (with Re~Cycle's documents - Commercial Invoice for customs, Packing List and Certificate of Donation)
  • The ship arrives and the container is unloaded
  • The African partner and/or their shipping agent takes the documents to the port, pays any duty and taxes liable
  • Either:
    • Take the container off on a truck to the project location, to unload it and return it, or keep it if our partner has bought the container for secure storage.
      • NOTE when doing this the container needs a base under it, or will sink and/or rust away
    • Or, unload the container into separate trucks and take these to the project location
  • Partner provides feedback to Re~Cycle

 

FAQ for new partners (top)

 

Please can we have 6 (or 20, or 50...) bikes for our school (or church or...)?

Regrettably it is not possible to ship small numbers of bikes because of the very high cost. We ship in 40-foot containers each loaded with up 400 bikes for greatest economy. Small numbers of bikes may be obtainable in countries where we have a local partner. Please see http://www.re-cycle.org/Africa/Partners for details of our current partners.

 

What shipping documents for customs clearing do we get?

  • Bill of lading = official document issued by the shipping line
  • Certificate of Donation = official document issued by Re-Cycle
  • Commercial Invoice = official document issued by Re-Cycle
  • Packing List = official document issued by Re-Cycle
  • All of the above document are sent out by courier in a documents pouch to the consignee or their agent when the vessel sails

 

Financial responsibilities?

The African partner:

  • Pays for the shipping (at cost) plus an administration fee of GBP £350.
  • Arranges locally for the African customs clearance of the container and pays any duty or VAT (ideally trying to get this duty-free). IMPORTANT containers held up at the port because of clearance problems incur expensive demurrage costs
  • Arranges and pays locally for the freight cost of moving the container from the port to final delivery address

It is possible for joint funding bids to be submitted

For African partners without UK or International support, Re~Cycle will try and help financially for initial shipments, to help get the wheels rolling and the project self-sustaining

 

What bikes and spares are available locally already?

Most places in Africa have Chinese "sit-up-and-beg" bikes with rod-brakes for sale.

Becoming more common are bikes with 26 inch wheel size. These could be new from China or used from Europe/USA/Japan.

Please see our page on Chinese bikes here - http://www.re-cycle.org/About/FAQ/Chinese-Bikes

The availability of spare parts is very important, especially for new partners who don't get shipments from overseas often, as well as for sustainability. Particularly durable items that need replacing, such as tyres and cables.

 

Should the partner donate the bicycles for free to beneficiaries or can some of the bikes be sold?

Our different partners have different distribution policies at least partly dependant on how well funded they are.

Selling the bikes has several benefits, including:

  • raising funds to cover local costs including employing mechanics and pay for the next container
  • people will value the bike and will look after it
  • stops hand-out mentality

Selling the bikes on credit may help people get access - though perhaps through an existing micro-credit organisation would be easier and 'safer'

Selling the bikes can be an issue with getting duty free import - again this varies from country to country.

 

 

How many bikes do you get in a container?

The number of bikes usually loaded is approximately 400 (+/- 10%). It depends on the sort and size of bike, as well as other special items (have shipped a rickshaw, and large woodworking tools in the past). If there are a number of children's bikes there will be more as they're small. Royal Mail (RM) bikes take up more space because the bikes are all adult size and with every bike there is a red basket frame and black plastic insert tray (both very valuable) which take up space.

 

What sort of bikes do you provide?

Re~Cycle gets given all sorts, and so ship all sorts.

We can to some degree fit the shipment to the request of the partner - although we can only ship what we have.

Some partners ask for just adult bikes, which is possible, though small bikes sometimes fit in gaps.

The most universally popular bicycles are mountain bikes (MTB) and ex Royal Mail bikes.

Types of bikes we ship:

  • Small child - in limited quantities unless otherwise requested
  • Teenage size bikes - eg. BMX and 24 inch wheel
  • City / Commuter bikes - 3 speed or multi speed, mudguards
  • Racing & Touring bikes - to places where road conditions are suitable
  • Mountain bikes and Hybrid bikes - ideal for poor roads
  • Royal Mail (RM or Postie) bikes - 26 inch wheel, with basket + tray on the front (images HERE)

 

What quality are the bikes?

  • We only ship bikes in at least reasonable condition. Some are in good working order, some will need minor repairs (punctures, brakes or gears), some will need more work (wheel hubs, bottom brackets, wheels straightened etc.). All will be worth spending time to restore to good working condition.
  • Bikes that are not OK, (poor condition because of damage or neglect etc.) we strip for spare parts (below)

 

Spare parts?

  • Spare parts are sent with the bikes, to refurbish the bikes sent, for ongoing maintenance and for fixing other bikes near the project
  • The parts fit in between and under the bikes
  • Wheels and tyres are fitted into the top of the container
  • When a new project is being set up, we send extra spare parts to stock up the workshop

 

Tools?

There are two sorts of tools that we ship out:

  • 'General workshop' tools such as spanners, screwdrivers, files, vices
  • 'Bike' tools, being bike specific, like work-stands, freewheel removers, chain breakers & cone spanners etc.

When setting up a new workshop, we will supply a good selection of general workshop tools (spanners, pliers, hammers, screwdrivers, hacksaws etc) that have been donated to us or supplied to us by TWAM (Tools With A Mission)

We can purchase on the African partner's behalf special 'bike' tools. We can by these at trade prices and a comprehensive kit costs approx £300

It may be possible to buy 'bike' tools in Africa. But these are often expensive yet of poor quality.

 

What skills are needed for repairing?

A skilled mechanic in Africa will be able to do most of the refurbishing.

Where possible we will visit new partners to help train mechanics and assist with the setting up of the workshop

 

Importing, you have some options:

  • get existing charity with duty free import permit and have imported from time to time to import for you
  • get your own duty free / tax exemption import permit, takes time...
  • find a trusted clearing agent and pay them
  • PLEASE NOTE - demurrage charges are port storage fees and can be VERY expensive, you NEED to have something in place beforehand, and if there is a problem, get it sorted out fast

 

Import Taxes?

  • Taxes and duty vary depending on the country
  • There is a page with info on different countries HERE
  • Working with someone who has permit is good (above)

Do we have documentation to set up training scheme for mechanics?

  • VERY nearly, we are working on it, asking other bike reuse charities... If you'd like to help, please get in touch...

 

How much does the container weigh?

  • Weight of container = approx 7,500 kilos - (400 bikes x 15 kg = 6,000 + 1,500 kg spares)

 

What storage facilities do we use when the bicycles arrive? Do we keep the container that the bicycles arrive in?

Some partners buy the first 1 or 2 containers for storing the bikes (cost +/- £1,500). They are secure, though need ventilation and a roof over the top, or you've got a large solar oven!
We'll be putting designs for this in our How To.

 

Design for building incorporating a used container for storage here

  • elevations of how they would build their next bicycle shop
  • design assumes 2 mechanics
  • pricing is is Malawi Kwacha (spring 2011)
  • big thanks to Jonny and the Africycle crew!

 

 

GLOSSARY of words

  • 40-ft container (12.2 m) = 40 foot long x 8 foot wide x 8ft 6ins high
  • 40' HC Container - HC= High Cube, which means the whole container is 1 foot higher than usual 40 foot container - so height = 9 ft 6 in (2.9 m)
    • There may not seem to be much difference in height but it makes a big difference to the number of bikes that can be loaded
    • Weight is not an issue as a container load of bikes and spares (approx, 8,000 kilos) is quite low compared to maximum load capacity.
  • Collection to inc Drop & Go with 2/3 days standing = UK haulage costs
  • Courier Charge = charge for the original shipping and customs documents to be sent out by air, needed to get the container released
  • Demurrage = port storage fees, best avoided, can be VERY EXPENSIVE - can also be waived if you have got them, worth asking and politicians can help
  • SOC = "shipper owned container", when African Partner buys the container for ongoing storage in Africa


See also (top)