More Bicycles Arrive in Sierra Leone

Our second shipment of bicycles to Sierra Leone arrived in late October, and more than 100 of those bikes have gone to VBP programs in the interior.  Both shipments have been made by Mikes Bikes Foundation, the non-profit development arm of the well-known northern California bicycle retailer. 

VBP’s Learn to Ride program for school girls is expanding, with Peace Corps Volunteers at two schools starting programs in their schools.  One of them sent this report after the first week:

I cannot understate how popular this program has been! I am incredibly pleased with the turnout we have been having. Everyday at 2:00pm after school I hold learning to ride lessons for about an hour and a half. It got off to a slow start, but as you can imagine once one little girl learned how to ride, the rest followed. Just to see the look of sheer glee on their faces  when they are able to pedal from coasting down the hill to being able to pedal from a standstill makes me feel that I am doing something good for them.

Actually getting a schoolgirl her own bike is proving a challenge.  Cultural norms plus widespread poverty make it difficult for a community to accept schoolgirls with bikes if  the teachers have no option but to walk great distances between their homes and school.  So we’re also doing programs that teach teachers the basics of bike repair so they can take care of their own bikes. 

Bikes for teachers is a great effort.  As role models, if teachers value their bicycles, then students are likely to have a positive image of bicycles as well.  About 80 Sierra Leonean teachers received bicycles in our recent programs.  We were happy to help this school teacher in Bumbuna learn to ride. Notice there are no pedals on the bike.  The first lesson is to learn to keep your balance while coasting down a gentle hill.  Soon we had the pedals on and she was starting, pedaling and going in less than two hours! We plan to continue programs in these schools, so as reach the schoolgirls too.