Conference call

Date = Tues 19th Jan 2010

Attending:

• Merlin Matthews - Founder and CEO of Re~Cycle
• Derek Balcombe - Operations Re~Cycle East
• David Branigan - BNB's International Programs Director, helped set up Ability Bikes
• Akuffo Maude - Ability Bikes
• Jason Finch -UNAVAILABLE - Re~Cycle volunteer, running Ezetela Bicycle Workshop in Ghana for 2010 - will debrief with David on 20th

AGENDA + MINUTES TYPED INTO THE AGENDA

Shipping

• Date container to arrive in Ghana
  • = late March / early April - Re~Cycle should be OK to do this
  • prob ship mid/late March (is good for ABCo-op, have just got bikes from BNB)
    • Is Royal Mail issue, bikes not coming in - for details, see here - http://www.re-cycle.org/Working/Royal_Mail_Issue
    • Next shipping dates are here - http://www.re-cycle.org/Africa/Shipping
      • Kenya
      • Jason
      • ABCo-op - we will let you know how its going as we go along
• Documentation - Merlin will post example documents (not always have all the parts on the example list) on the web site and put LINK HERE (later)
  • 2 packing lists
    • shippers docs
      • Bill of Lading
  • Re~Cycle's 3
    • Commercial invoice
    • Packing list
    • Certificate of donation
  • Private full packing list - sent by email
• Value declare - see http://www.re-cycle.org/Africa/Import -
• Will need - full physical address of project, PO Box address (Customs Clearing Agent) for sending BOL & other docs to, details of NGO or similar registration - Merlin thinks some of this is here http://www.re-cycle.org/Africa/Partners/Existing_Shipping and requests the rest is put there please
  • please also put down your NGO status, number etc, for putting on the documents
• Yes, Re~Cycle confirms that Re~Cycle will pay and arranges shipment to Tema
• AB says it arranges and pays for customs clearance and freight to final delivery address

Money

• Re~Cycle to fund 1st shipment
• Merlin's talking to co-ops to get money

Needed

• Parts - sent in boxes (for fragile, and left by the door) and strong transparent plastic bags (dry ice bags, from hospital and university, FYI + using in USA)
  • Hard to get in Ghana
    • 7-speed chain - Re~C send them, tho not sorted into type (would it help a lot to have bag of different size?)
    • 26 inch wheels - Re~C does send these
• Types of bike. ? re availability of RM bikes
• Other items - ABCo-op to talk to members + ask
• ABCo-op pls also check with shipping agent if this is ok, to avoid getting stuck with customs + costing (we can put on documents)
• BNB says that if just one item on Bill of Lading customs scans and if ok, let it go, if there's more than one thing on documents, they unload half the box
  • Office stuff
    • admin
    • papers
  • Workshop shelving
    • plywood, wood
    • pipe
• Tools - general workshop tools are available
• Can buy bike tools if needed, ABCo-op to pay

Web site

• AB registering on our site as user
• Would be good if David can please get AB to register as user and show them how to edit basic page (like this one) which is like editing a text document
• http://www.re-cycle.org/How_Edit
• Posting the project on our site, so people can see where it is
  • When logged on, please:
    "Create content"
    "Project"
    and enter your details...
• How To guides - LATER
  • What have BNB got?
  • Mechanic training?
  • Loading container?

Feedback

• What feedback giving to BNB?  So far been in direct contact, set up - is weak area for BNB, some don't do feedback
• When does the feedback happen?
• Maude asked what kind of report does Re~Cycle want?
  • We want to know if what we're sending things you want (although we have to send what we get, all size + types!)
    • Like to know what size preferred before ship
  • Quality of bikes?
  • Range and quality of spare parts?
  • Before ship - please let us know type and size and parts needed - more specific can add time delay eg. only want MTB, need to wait till have 400. 
    • FYI, as example: currently have 350, 200 MTB, some child, some commuter, some 3-speed, some racing (road) bikes
  • So what very much like?  What don't want at all?
    • Wide range of need MTB good 26, 24,
    • High demand for kids bikes
    • Send whatever you've got
    • Is bicycle racing culture
    • Beat up bikes not so good (Re~Cycle does not send these - would we want the job of fixing it in the UK?  Strip for spare parts - approx 15% of bikes in)
  • Jason - would be good if can help with the unloading

Quantitative (eg. how many bikes to women) + Qualitative feedback (some individuals, name and photo, how lives transformed, what use bike for)

Questionnaire

Random sample of users - perhaps with incentive

• How many km
• Who uses
• What use for

Maude asked do we want to see their accounts?

Yes please:

• for all partners
• good practice
• so we know how you're doing
• to reduce our exposure in case you're in trouble
• make sure the money is being used well, not lots going into one person's hands, we want to help the community

Future

• Plans to set up new workshops, or just sell refurbished by main workshop?
  • Currently - increase storage space for full container
  • 4 mechanics - selling as quickly as build them
  • Like to get more mechanics hired
  • Marketing more
  • All sold in Kopera?  - is a market town with lots of outlying villages
  • Good to work with physically challenged people in the villages
• hand crank bikes?  Design?  Uni Students etc
  • ABCo-op have talked about this
  • Like to do education and training for members (eg. welding)
  • BNB have connection with Quinn Jones, mechanic at MIT
  • When co-op stable, like to get into this - say 2011
• WHEELCHAIRS from UK - Do you want them? Suitability for roads? 
  • Yes please
  • BNB have sent 5 or so, not declaired on docs
  • There are people on waiting list to get wheelchair
  • "Motivation" is a UK charity, build wheelchairs in country - http://www.motivation.org.uk - have a look.  Just seen"
    • "Focus countries are those in which we are committed to delivering a range of appropriate interventions to address all the areas identified in our circle of need. For the years 2007 - 2010 our focus countries are Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Zambia and South Africa."
    • They may be interested in smaller thing, I know them and can vouch for your being 'good people'
  • we may be able to get them through:
    • local hospitals
    • TWAM
    • Adrian the bike

Container Conversion - Ezetela

• Dual container set up to be installed with new Re-Cycle partner Ezetela, in Dodowa, Ghana.
• 1x workshop / 1x storage set up - both to sit side-by-side, no gap between available.
• 1st container due to arrive early feb / 2nd container due to arrive late feb 2010
• Jason - current concerns - internal heat, internal light (natural, pref), entrance to workshop being at foot.
• BNB past experience in container conversions - including, pics, user feedback?
• Other collected examples? See page 5 > http://www.bicycles-for-humanity.org/pdfs/Okathitu_Report_Feb_07.pdf
• Discuss potential collaboration between Re-Cycle & BNB on design.
• David to visit site on Wednesday 20th
• Head mechanic in Boston, Alex, has worked in South Afirca.
• To stick on How To

Any other business

• Other ways Re~Cycle can help?
  • AB learning to communicate freely, please bear with them  -  happy to :)
• Other joint projects with BNB?  Eg. Soweto?  Norther Uganda, new project, health centre, epicentre of way, Amuru, was internally displaced persons camp, increase medical outreach personnel from 80 to 200
• Health worker mobility project - manages by health workers
• Poss trainer in field for 6 months
• Flood area with multi speed bikes and parts
• Ship September 2010
• David out there July/August
• BEN Namibia - medical
• BSPW, info + trailer
• Dr James info page POST

Misc

Re~Cycle now pays GBP150 extra for 2 day loading

• Helps if container turns up late or bad weather + fit more bikes in

Good if David can swing by en route to Ghana etc

Serving lots of local mechanics with parts - have separate retail space for this, for fixing and re-sale