Our unique access and mobility approach

The distinctive character and the uniqueness of Cycling out of Poverty’s approach is to look at development issues from a mobility-perspective. For development, health care, education and income are all crucial topics. And with each of these topics access to is essential and mobility plays a major role in this.  And we are committed to support those people who are challenged to access basic health care, education, income, social participation, etc. due to lack of mobility. We combine our charity efforts and the efforts of our social enterprises Bikeventures and Green Hub Shop in Kenya and Uganda to equip those in need with bicycles and other mobility aids.

 

Social Bicycle Projects

To reach our goals and mission, Cycling out of Poverty has developed three primary bicycle interventions, the Social Bicycle Projects:

– Bike4Care: aimed at improving access to healthcare

– African Bicycle Design: aimed at designing and manufacturing of and improving access to mobility aids

Access to education is strongly influenced by the type of transport that students use from home to school. In the African countryside, children often live more than five (more than ten is not an exception) from their school. The students (and teachers) are generally dependent on walking. This results in lack of energy when sitting in the class or standing in front of it, so students can’t give their full attention to learning. It also results in a high absence or late-coming percentage. Together with educational institutions, Cycling out of Poverty makes bicycles available and accessible to students (and teachers) on the basis of a performance-related sponsorship.

In addition, Cycling out of Poverty sets up cycling clubs that offer for instance maintenance and road safety training in schools. And young promising cyclists are able to join the Cycling out of Poverty Cycling Team. Through this team Cycling out of Poverty wants to help young people to gain self-confidence, learn cooperation and entrepreneurial skills and provide support with generating income. These skills and opportunities help them grow into a role model in the community and beyond. In the Bike4School programme, the bicycle creates favorable conditions that can improve performance in schools and access to education.
#Bike4School

Many people in Africa know very well how to earn money with a bicycle or how the bicycles save them money. But they lack the means and/or capacity to make full use of the potential of a bicycle. That is why Cycling out of Poverty makes local manufactured and/or assembled bicycles, bicycle trailers and bicycle add-ons available to small entrepreneurs (especially farmers) and accessible by offering them through different financial constructions such as hire-purchase or sponsorship. This gives small entrepreneurs better (financial and physical) access to the bicycle, they are more mobile and have better opportunities to generate (better) income. In addition, Cycling out of Poverty does small business investments where they offer support and capacity building to bicycle entrepreneurs. This demonstrates the power and potential of the bicycle. In the Bike4Work projects, the bicycle is the means of self-empowerment. For many entrepreneurs (bicycle taxis, street vendors, traders, farmers, waste collectors etc.), the bicycle saves transport costs and/or increases the income.
#Bike4Work

For many people in Africa, poverty is a given thing. Walking is the only way of getting to school, hospital or work, even over long distances. They are called “captive pedestrians.”  For these people a bicycle offers an immediate benefit of improved access to basic needs and services. But there is no such thing as a one-bike-fits-all solution. A students needs another bicycle than a market vendor. And people living with disabilities can’t cycle. So Cycling out of Poverty offers a complete access and mobility solution by designing, manufacturing and distributing bicycles and other mobility aids suited for and answering the needs of the target group. We design and manufacture wheelchairs, cargo bikes, hand tricycles, bike trailers, bicycle ambulances and many more designs.

In order to support the financing of the aforementioned Social Bicycle Projects, Cycling out of Poverty runs two social bicycle enterprises:

Bikeventures

Bikeventures is a social enterprise under the wings of Cycling out of Poverty, with offices in Kenya and Uganda. To support the bicycle projects of Cycling out of Poverty, Bikeventures offers a range of cycling and mountain bike tours (from half day to multi-day tours), bicycle rental, cycling safaris, cycling holidays and budget accommodations in Uganda and Kenya. And organises fundraising and awareness events. Besides creating jobs and offering training opportunities for young people, Bikeventures also creates an income to support the Social Bicycle Projects. All proceeds are donated to support Bike4Work, Bike4School and Bike4Care.

#BikeventuresTours #MoreThanABicycleAdventure

 

Green Hub Shop

The Green Hub Shop in Kisumu, Kenya and Jinja, Uganda is the one-stop-shop for bicycles and other mobility aids. It’s a factory and shop in one.

Bicycle factory

In the bicycle factory, innovative bicycles, bicycle related products and other mobility aids are designed, developed and manufactured. Some of the most striking products are ordinary bicycles, cargo bikes, bicycle trailers, hand bikes, wheelchairs and other custom-made products (including agricultural tools).

Bike shop

In the bicycle shop a wide range of bicycles is sold, bicycle accessories and the end products from the bicycle factory. Because of the wide range, the Green Hub is the one-stop-shop for bicycles and bicycle-related products.

Besides creating jobs and offering training opportunities for young people, Green Hub Shops also creates an income to support the Social Bicycle Projects. All proceeds are donated to support Bike4Work, Bike4School and Bike4Care.

#GreenHubShop #MobilityAids