Bicycling is a great way to get from A to B. We all know that, but all over Africa the bike has a much larger role and value. We
experienced this on a journey to Tanzania,
Kenya and Uganda. Here people
transport water and goods over long distances, and the ones who have bicycles can
carry larger amounts in a shorter time. Actually some places it is a must to
have a bicycle if you want to have a job.
Unfortunately the majority of the bicycles in Africa
are of low quality and unreasonably expensive compared to the quality and the
average income.
In Denmark
the situation is very different. Here a bike is an active choice, which you
choose instead of a car or public transportation. The price of a bike is very
low compared to the average income; hence many people buy a new bike instead of
getting the old one repaired. Each year we actually scrap 400.000 bikes in Denmark. Many
of these bikes could do a great difference in an African life.
The goal of Baisikeli is to improve people’s life both in Denmark and Africa.
In Denmark,
unemployed people who have been out of a job for three years or more do the
handling of the bikes.
In Africa the bikes are the vehicle for a
bike mechanic education. Further more we make bicycle ambulance and bicycle
trolleys.
When the bikes are repaired, all the bikes are sold. The profit is invested
in local projects and in developing the workshops.
