October 2010 Newsletter

Village Bicycle Project

Changing Lives in Africa

October 2010 Update

Ghana Workshop

 A woman in Ghana learns to change a tire at a VBP repair workshop, led by George Aidoo. Bike owners who know how to repair their own bikes get more use from them.

 In Ghana-  

Women’s programs will be re-energized, as Liz Bageant returns to Ghana for a year to strengthen our programs that get women riding and repairing bikes. We still need to raise $8000 to effectively fund our efforts.  In Ghana, Liz will train new women instructors and evaluate and improve current programs to meet the needs of women.  Liz will spend the fall… (continued...)

480 village residents will get bikes and bike repair skills this fall. Trainer George Aidoo will lead programs in the Upper West region, with Peace Corps Volunteers in Nanvili, Wechiau, and  Weila.  360 village residents will be getting bikes. Trainer Samson Ayine is taking 120 bikes to Atiavi, a village near the coast east of the capital, for programs there.  

Sierra Leone- 

As we prepare to send our first shipment of 500 bikes, Jack Kamara and female assistant Kadiatu Kadia are back to teaching school girls how to ride bikes after the summer break.    

Nearly 500 girls from 8 schools, ages 6 to 19, have learned to ride since 2009 when volunteer Brittany Richardson started VBP’s women’s program in Sierra Leone.  We hope that many of these women will get their own bikes in the coming years.  

More on Sierra Leone here.

Northern Latitudes- 

From Canada to England:   

This fall in Ghana we will receive bikes loaded  by Bicycles for Humanity of Kelowna, BC, Fort Collins Bicycle Co-op, Bike Works/Boise Bicycle Project/VBP, Bikes Not Bombs, Re-Cycle, and Bikes for the World.  We expect winter deliveries to be slow again, but we’re hoping new shipping partners in California, Texas, and others can start sending bikes in the winter months to help even out the flow of bikes to Ghana.   Thanks to everyone who has helps send bikes to Africa!

Summaries-

In 2010 we sent 7500 bikes to Africa!  This is slightly more than last year, but down significantly from 2008, our biggest bike moving year ever.  This is a good time for anyone who feels inspired to collect bicycles for Africa! 

Since Y2K:

48,000 bikes  have been sent to Africa, shipped in 111 containers from our partners around the world.

8500+ people in Africa have trained in basic bike repair, each receiving their own discounted bicycle.   

Keep In Touch with VBP (It's Easy!)

Help Support Us!

VBP is an entirely volunteer organization in the USA, and all donations support Africa programs. We need your bicycles, but we also need your financial support in order to continue to deliver bicycles and programs that are changing lives and empowering women and girls in two countries in West Africa.

Make a donation here, every amount helps!

We appreciate your support! 

 Ghana schoolgirl

A school girl in Ghana enjoys her bike.  (Photo by Jason Finch)