World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief
founding	2005
founder	FK Day and Leah Missbach Day
Seat	Chicago
motto	The Power of Bicycles
main emphasis	Mobility through bicycles
sales	$ 7,848,601 (2016)
Website	worldbicyclerelief.org/de

World Bicycle Relief (WBR) is an international aid organization in the development cooperation , people in rural developing countries with bicycles greater mobility allows. In programs with a focus on Africa, for education, health care and economic development, special cargo bikes are delivered to schoolchildren, nurses and micro-entrepreneurs in order to reach schools, workplaces, patients and markets and thus reduce poverty in the long term. To date, World Bicycle Relief has delivered more than 450,000 bicycles to Africa, South America and Southeast Asia and trained over 2,200 bicycle mechanics.

background

The bicycle can be used as one of the most effective means of reducing poverty in rural developing regions. Reliable means of transport is essential for access to education, healthcare and jobs, but there is often no transport infrastructure. Studies in developing areas of Africa (Tanzania and Uganda) as well as in Sri Lanka have shown that a bicycle can increase the income of a household by up to 35%.

WBR was founded in 2005, one year after the tsunami in the Indian Ocean in 2004, by the American entrepreneur Frederik (FK) Day and his wife, the documentary photographer Leah Missbach Day. The couple had traveled to Sri Lanka to find out how best to contribute to the reconstruction locally. At the time, FK Day was a co-owner of the bicycle component manufacturer SRAM , and he found that the mobility of the inhabitants and transport options were essential factors in the reconstruction of the country. An individual can cover four times the distance by bicycle and transport five times more than on foot. This resulted in a partnership with World Vision and an association of several companies and private individuals donated 24,000 bikes from a local manufacturer for the reconstruction in Sri Lanka. This help for self-help worked so effectively that WBR was officially founded and developed programs in cooperation with partner aid organizations and started its work in Africa.

World Bicycle Relief has offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, South Africa and Australia. The office for Europe is in Schweinfurt .

Buffalo bike

Buffalo Bicycle (2017)

World Bicycle Relief hands over the specially developed Buffalo bicycle to schoolchildren, nurses and small businesses by means of " study-to-own " or " work-to-own " contracts. The bike is specially designed for the conditions in rural developing regions, so that it can survive on bumpy, sandy, as well as stony and pothole-strewn paths. It is particularly robust, simple and requires little maintenance. The luggage rack of the Buffalo bicycle has a load capacity of 100 kilograms, all add-on parts are primarily designed for stability and durability. "The technology is largely at the level of the thirties or forties of the last century: proven, clear, can be repaired with a few simple tools and spare parts available on site."

The frames are made by Giant in China. However, the bicycles are assembled in Africa (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa), which creates local jobs. A bicycle costs a total of 134 euros in donations.

Programs

Education program BEEP (Bicycles for Educational Empowerment Program)

In 2009 WBR started its BEEP education program in Zambia and has since expanded it to many other countries. In cooperation with the education ministry of the respective country and partner NGOs, WBR provides large numbers of Buffalo bicycles for schools in rural areas in order to improve access to education and to reduce the time to school for children, who often walk for hours every day need to get to school. 70% of these bikes are given to girls who, unlike boys, often suffer from the dual burden of school and household and drop out of school earlier to help out with their parents. Every student signs a "study-to-own" contract when they receive the bike, in which they undertake to cycle to school every day for at least the next two years. Only after completion of the service does the bike become his property. At the same time, the bikes are used by parents or siblings on weekends to e.g. B. Bringing goods to the market or for other errands. Initial studies from BEEP schools show that child attendance rates increased by 28% and performance improved by 59% after students received bicycles and no longer had to walk.

Healthcare

From 2006 to 2009 conducted its first health care program in Zambia. RAPIDS (Reaching HIV / AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support) was funded by UNAIDS and directed by World Vision with the aim of reducing the spread of HIV / AIDS in Zambia. 23,000 Buffalo bicycles have been delivered to volunteer nurses and health advisors and some affected households to educate and advise, deliver medication and care for patients in remote communities. With bicycles, they were able to visit more households and at the same time improve the quality of care because they had more time to spend. 470 mechanics were also trained as part of the RAPIDS.

Mechanic training

To ensure the maintenance of the wheels, WBR also runs a mechanic training program. In groups of 5-20 people, selected interested parties from the regions to which Buffalo bikes are delivered receive basic training as bicycle mechanics. The participants learn the trade, receive basic knowledge of business processes and are equipped with high-quality tools and work clothes. WBR is also working with existing shops and mechanics to improve the availability of spare parts in sub-Saharan Africa.

Local partner

In the respective countries, WBR always implements its programs in cooperation with partner organizations that have good local structures. These include: CARE , PATH, World Vision, Unicef , Jhpiego, UNDP , Africare, Sakaramenta, Pathfinder, Caritas , CRS, International Medical Corps, CFU, Fundación Haciendo Equipo

Team World Bicycle Relief

On Team World Bicycle Relief athletes can from around the world and participate in all sports, to collect donations for the WBR.

Web links

Individual evidence

↑ World Bicycle Relief: World Bicycle Relief Impact Report 2018. In: Impact Report 2018. Accessed June 10, 2016 (English).
^ Leszek J. Sibilski: Cycling is everyone's business. World Bank, April 2, 2015, accessed June 10, 2016 .
↑ bicyclepotential.org: "Bicycle: The Unnoticed potential." bicyclepotential.org, July 9, 2011, accessed June 10, 2016 .
^ ^A ^b Hans-Heinrich Pardey: Growth engine with pedal drive. In: FAZ.net . February 28, 2014, accessed November 30, 2015 .
↑ ^a ^b Margret Hucko: Buffalo Bike: A wheel moves the world. In: Spiegel Online . November 30, 2015, accessed November 30, 2015 .
↑ mainpost.de: Help from Schweinfurt: Mobile for school, job and health, February 20, 2020. Accessed on February 20, 2020 .
^ Team World Bicycle Relief. In: teamwbr.worldbicyclerelief.org. Retrieved November 30, 2015 .

[1] World Bicycle Relief: World Bicycle Relief Impact Report 2018. In: Impact Report 2018. Accessed June 10, 2016 (English).

[2] Leszek J. Sibilski: Cycling is everyone's business. World Bank, April 2, 2015, accessed June 10, 2016 .

[3] yclepotential.org: "Bicycle: The Unnoticed potential." bicyclepotential.org, July 9, 2011, accessed June 10, 2016 .

[faz-12815523-4] A ^b Hans-Heinrich Pardey: Growth engine with pedal drive. In: FAZ.net . February 28, 2014, accessed November 30, 2015 .

[SPON-1063380-5] Margret Hucko: Buffalo Bike: A wheel moves the world. In: Spiegel Online . November 30, 2015, accessed November 30, 2015 .

[MP/L-6] mainpost.de: Help from Schweinfurt: Mobile for school, job and health, February 20, 2020. Accessed on February 20, 2020 .

[7] Team World Bicycle Relief. In: teamwbr.worldbicyclerelief.org. Retrieved November 30, 2015 .