Loading The Village Bicycle Project’s 100th Container for Africa

This weekend the three of us had a great time volunteering with the Village Bicycle Project, loading hundreds of used bicycles, parts, and new tools onto a container bound for Ghana.  In the last decade, the all-volunteeer Village Bicycle Project has shipped more than 45,000 used bicycles to Africa.  This weekend’s effort was hard work, fun, and also a celebration–we were loading the Project’s 100th container.

The bicycles are staged outside the container and then loaded by size like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
The bicycles are staged outside the container and then loaded by size like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
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VBP founder David Peckham (center, in baseball cap) loads a bike into the container.

While spending time in rural east Africa, we had a chance to witness firsthand the importance of bicycles for village families.  A bicycle can make all the difference in access to health care, education, markets, and other opportunities.  Literally, a bicycle can lift a family out of poverty, and into sustainability.  But the Village Bicycle Project doesn’t just throw bikes at people–they have a solid distribution process on the ground, providing tools and  training in  bicycle maintenance to individuals and communities, with an emphasis on involving women and girls.  Good, good folks.

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Claire adds to the giant pile of tires, while volunteers remove pedals and turn handlebars in the background.
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After 100 containers, experienced VBP volunteers have it down to a science how to pack the maximum number of bicycles into a container.

Check out the Project’s new website.  They list all kinds of ways to donate bicycles at sites across the USA, donate money, or volunteer.

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On his last trip to Mozambique, Tom met this man Rafael who had ridden 8 kilometers with his two children on the back of his bicycle, in order to have a doctor at this Catholic hospital look at a rash his son had suddenly developed.
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The bicycle parking area outside the outpatient clinic. There was no parking lot for cars because none of the patients and very few of the clinicians can afford them.

PS: If you are interested in bicycles in Africa, or bicycles in general, then head on over to Tom’s great blog Bikejuju.com.

4 Comments

  1. Pingback: Bikejuju » Loading Bikes for Ghana

  2. Pingback: Bicycle Pea Trellis

  3. Kwasi Sefa Antwi

    Am a philanthropist based in Denmark and wish to send some bicycles to Africa for Charity. I will be very grateful if you can help by educating me on the number of bicycles i can park in a 40 foot container. Thanks and hoping to hear from you soon. Mobile:0045 71330397

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