All posts by Michael Sabrio

bicycles, Moldova

Frontier Tourism in Moldova

by Alex Gutsaga
Spring 2015 InGear

Did you know that the #1 wine country in the world is still unknown? Imagine a friendly country, where everyone is eating fresh organic food, drinking clean domestic wine from grapes they have grown themselves, and all the local traditions are about hospitality and making guests happy—this is Moldova!

Moldova is a small country in Eastern Europe, with a population of about 3 million people. In 2014, Lonely Planet stated that it was the “least visited” country in Europe, and second-to-last visited in the world. In 2014 Moldova was visited by less than 5 thousand real tourists; it is practically unknown by international tourists and is considered “off the beaten path”.

Moldovan garden house
Moldovan garden house

Moldovans usually have 2 houses in their garden. The first is old and small where the grandparents usually live and the second is new and much larger, about 5–7 times larger than first house. If you were to ask any tourist in which of these houses they thought people lived they would say, “Of course, in the large one”. But the same question asked of locals will show the opposite response: “Of course, in the small one”. The larger, new house is wasted!

We have decided to develop tourism in Moldova and at the same time help local people to rent their houses to tourists on a daily basis. We have 260 houses available for online booking in 60 different villages. All together there are about 2300 person/places to stay overnight. The project is called Hai la Țară, which in Romanian means: let’s go to the countryside. Most of the home owners are pensioners, receiving pensions of about $40–$50 a month.

Membership in our guest-house chain allows them to earn additional money for their living. Competitive per-person lodging and meal fees allow them to make another 2–3 pensions each month without any effort. It was enough to bring just a few tourists to these homes and the whole village knew about the opportunity to make money! In a short time each village has seen about 5–10 additional houses registered in the system. Tourists now have an opportunity to choose a place to stay according to available conditions and client reviews. Competition in the village makes a tectonic impact: local people start to make repairs inside their houses by installing toilets and hot-water showers. In the garden they put ethnic pieces from our local culture: cart wheels, jars of clay, handmade carpets, and so on.

Moldova is the largest per capita wine-grape growing country in the world. At a time when local people in France are prohibited to grow grapes and make wine, in our country it is the national culture! Every homeowner has their own cellar full of wine and a variety of conserved natural products. The food here is very delicious and hospitality is a part of our culture.

There is a need and desire to develop tourism in this country. But the number one problem that we face is this—what is there to do in the countryside? There are only a limited number of developed tourist attractions in the countryside. This is the reason why many of our customers do not stay longer than a few days. We need to have more tourist attractions. That’s why we are working on a new project called www.attractionsbylocals.com. It will allow local people to rent their boat, bicycle, or swimming pool; and even offer a culinary tour or wine-making tour along with many other offers made by locals.

Moldova is an excellent country for cycling tourism. Using our chain of guest houses, we could offer tours or bicycle rental for international tourists. With this perspective the bicycles from Pedals for Progress could be the just the right seed to bring thousands of tourists to Moldova and help local people earn a better income. With more bicycles we could create more attractions in the countryside, and create the opportunity for those living in the countryside to have more tourists.

We have already had tourists from 19 countries, including the U.S.A., Mexico, Chile, Canada, Australia, and even 2 groups from Japan! All of them enjoyed their vacations here! We invite all of you to spend a few weeks in Moldova—a most excellent country to be explored by bicycle!

bicycles, Collectors

Iowa Update

by Tim Weitzel
Spring 2015 InGear
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For the second time, Dave has asked me to write an update on the “Iowa operation”. I would report that P4P in Iowa is very much a mixed bag as we begin the 2015 collection season. On one hand, we are enthusiastic, have established a recognizable “brand”, have many supporters, and the supply of used bikes and volunteers is deep. On the other hand, we do not have a “trucker” at this time!!!

Looking back 10 years, I now understand Dave’s business-like approach to moving bikes. At the time, I was young, more naïve, and certainly blindly idealistic. Our biggest hurdle is to find transport for the 929 miles from Dubuque to High Bridge, New Jersey. So we are not going to give up. Our volunteers, our sponsors, and our supporters in Iowa are 100% committed to the work of P4P. Yes, we are idealistic out here in the Heartland. Somehow, I believe we will have the big wheels rolling east again in 2015 with lots of bikes onboard.

Thanks, Dave, P4P staff, and all the P4P supporters for your trust and belief in the Iowa Connection

bicycles, Costa Rica, Sewing Partners

Costa Rica Update

Spring 2015 InGear

Carlos making his daily drop off
Carlos making his daily drop off

Carlos Camacho lives at the bottom of the hamlet in Dulce Nombre de Coronado, Costa Rica. He works in the workshop of a flag factory located near Coronado. He put a basket on his bicycle so he could begin to deliver vegetables and fruit to some of the families that are along his route on his way to work. Some of the fruit and vegetables are from his own garden and others he buys the day before. He manages to generate a little income while he is commuting, which he puts towards the cost of his five-year-old daughter’s education. The bicycle allows him to manage to drop off the vegetables and fruit to several households on his way to work.


Martha working in her house
Martha working in her house

Martha Bejarano raised her daughter alone doing needlework. She lives in Aguas Zarcas of Ciudad Quesada, Costa Rica, in a very humble village. At great cost she is sending her daughter to school to become a professional, so now she is caring for her granddaughter. The daughter gave her a better P4P sewing machine with more stitches, so she can be more productive while her granddaughter is at school. She now lives much happier because one needs to save. She learned to operate the new machine almost immediately and it is allowing her to be more productive and do more work. Now her dream is to improve the kitchen and the refrigerator of her humble cottage with the added income she is earning.


Javier and daughter on their daily ride
Javier and daughter on their daily ride

Javier Baldivia and his family live in the district of Los Guidos in the heavily populated canton (much like a county) of Desamparados, Costa Rica. In this urban environment, Javier and his wife work hard to maintain a steady income in order to afford both the basics for the family and school for their older two children. Construction is his main occupation but, as in many places, the work varies as much as the demand. He waits for his boss to let him know where and when to be at a job and needs to be able to get to the assigned location as quickly as possible.

Not only does he compete with Costa Ricans for work, but he must also contend with the enormous influx of other Nicaraguans looking for a better life and steady wages. The ownership of a single bicycle has enabled Javier to remain reliable and, thus, competitive in a congested world of surplus able bodies. As a bonus, on weekend mornings, he can also make use of his bicycle to run errands for the family, such as shopping with his daughter at a “Pulpería” to buy cheese and bread for their breakfast.

As our American cities embrace bicycle commuting and sharing as a new (much needed) trend, people like Javier have known for some time that two wheels mean much more than less traffic and good exercise. Bicycles are the most economical and efficient tool for many people of many incomes to keep their families secure and their environment healthy.

Albania, bicycles, Sewing Partners

Albania Update

by Ened Mato
Spring 2015 InGear

It has been a frenzy driven period for us. In between the activities we are organizing many society projects and we are preparing for many more.

Kidical Mass ride in Tirana
Kidical Mass ride in Tirana

I am more than happy to tell you about Kidical Mass, which is a younger version of Critical Mass, and it has been a success for parents and children alike. The weather here is also very harsh on bikers but as soon as it gets a bit warmer and a bit less rainy we will return with this project as it was a wonderful occasion for parents to spend time with their children while doing something fun along the way. There was a significant participation in our last events in the year 2014 and we are constantly told how eagerly people await the return of these events in 2015. Participation was enabled by the many and many children’s bikes you sent us, and we really hope to draw attention to these bikes because not only they are (probably) the most entertaining gifts for a child but also the healthiest.

Planting trees at a local landfill in Albania
Planting trees at a local landfill in Albania

I must thank you for the sewing machines. We are currently putting them to use in a small project for a small economic empowerment of families in the north of Albania, where conditions are difficult to live and survive. As soon as we get some results and individual perspectives of the project, I’ll let you know and maybe we can include those in the newsletter.
2015springAlbaniaPlantingTreesOnePerson

Also I want to tell you of a very important project for us. We are currently totally engaged to make it work. With the sales of the last 2 months from the bikes (and of months ahead) we are working to plant 1000 trees near a landfill site called Sharra, with the hope of a better environment for the adjacent villages and the general area where the fumes from the landfill make living hard. “Plant Your Tree” and Ecovolis have the motivation to make this work. Phase One is three days away with a first step of 1000 trees, and based on the participation we get we are going to plan and go all the way until we hit the target of 1500 trees (and who knows how many more later). Soon enough I’ll have some photographic material to send to you so you can also give impressions and include it in the newsletter.

There have also been smaller scaled projects but with a considerable success upon drawing attention of the public towards a greener living in general and biking in a more specific manner.

Best regards,
Ened

bicycles, Nicaragua

EcoBici, Rivas, Nicaragua

by Carla Bello Mejia
Spring 2015 InGear

During the year 2014 EcoBici received two containers of bicycles for a total of 1062 bicycles, 971 of which were sold from January to December. During the first half of the year sales flow was very good but from July to November sales dropped greatly.

This year EcoBici will increase slightly outlays for wages which is due to the increase of wages mandated by the Ministry of Labor. It is mandatory to increase wages and social insurance and the top rate assumed by the employer is 16%, just as the payment of social benefits is increasing (compensation for years of work, vacation, thirteenth month). The importation taxes on the bicycles have increased also.

It is for all these expenses the bike’s price increases, but it is still sold at attainable prices for the population. Local shops are selling new bikes but of poor quality and quite high prices. It is true there are shops that offer very good bikes but their costs are very high for poor people in Managua, so they always prefer to come to Ecobici because bikes have good quality and good prices adjusted according to your income.

We believe and are sure that it is always important to send bicycles. People need access to a good bike for commuting to their workplaces and students to their schools. We hope P4P will have successful collections so that we may receive three containers of bicycles in 2015.

That’s why we deeply thank everyone involved in P4P collections for their work and dedication of their time to this cause that has sent bicycles to Rivas. Thanks, Thanks.

bicycles, Moldova, Peace Corps

Reporting from Moldova

by Carol Stadden, Peace Corps Volunteer
Spring 2015 InGear

Greetings from your roving Moldoveneasc Peace Corps volunteer reporter.

Moldovan teens out for a ride
Moldovan teens out for a ride

It is the middle of winter in Grozesti but that does not stop people from riding their bikes. Many of the roads are impossible to navigate with a bike but the main road, which has been under construction since I arrived, August of 2013, is almost complete! Many of the boys who helped to repair our shipment of bikes were part of the road construction crew. They would ride their new bikes to and from spreading stones and pouring tar this past summer. I know because I saw them on the days that I took a group of younger boys and girls to participate in a different “Hill Challenge” each week. Now that the kids had bikes with gears, they could actually ride their bikes up all the hills that surround our village. You cannot go more than 2k before you hit a steep incline. We crowned a “King and Queen of the Hills”. They were not awarded a polka-dot jersey but instead a bicycle gear pouch and inner tubes—compliments of the P4P shipment we received in June!

Taking his granddaughter to kindergarten
Taking his granddaughter to kindergarten

Fifteen of the bikes were sold to an enterprising Moldovan who will use them to improve tourism in the country. He helps pensioners rent out their vacant homes. He hopes the bikes will add more interest for potential tourists if they are placed at some of these “Hai la Tara” rentals.

With our shipment of 475 bicycles we also received about 70 sewing machines. All but 10 were distributed throughout the community. These 10 were earmarked for a sewing class at the high school. I recently helped the French professor write a grant for equipment to create a modern sewing classroom. We won the grant and will soon have sewing tables, fabric and thread, storage bins, mannequin, excellent lighting, a laptop, printer/scanner, and projector and screen. The class has started and the children are very excited. We were pleased to find that 6 boys were eager to take the class stating that they would like to design clothes someday. We will not only teach sewing and design techniques but entrepreneurial training as well. We want to give choices to the children who will not study at university after graduation. With the skills they learn in the sewing class they could possibly start their own business!

Migration is a huge problem for this country; we want to see the youth stay in Moldova. With the completion of the road this summer, I expect to see even more bikes out and about than ever before. So many people ride bikes in our village now that a sign was erected to warn incoming traffic. Isn’t it great! Bun Ziua!

Albania, bicycles

PASS/Ecovolis: P4P Partner in Albania

Employees at a bike-sharing kiosk in Tirana
Employees at a bike-sharing kiosk in Tirana

PASS (Programii Alternativave Sociale Stimuluese, Social Stimulating Alternative Program) was established in 2002 with the goal of encouraging community action and raising public awareness of local social and environmental issues in the Albanian capital city of Tirana. PASS activities include operating a Welcome Center for families in need, involving local residents in resolving community problems through its Volunteer Action Movement, supporting the AKSES Program to foster the education and employment of rural youth, aiding the transition from school to work through the Employment Office, and facilitating youth community engagement through the Civil Youth Project.

With help from Pedals for Progress and the George Soros Open Society Foundations in Albania (OSFA), PASS established a Tirana Community Bicycle program, including the bike-sharing program Ecovolis.

Ecovolis

Kidical Mass in Albania
Kidical Mass in Albania

Ecovolis (EcoBike) is a bike-sharing program created by PASS in Tirana, Albania. Ecovolis promotes ecological transportation by giving Tirana cleaner air, adding a civic European practice that helps in the economic, social, and environmental development of our community.

Not only will Ecovolis provide jobs for workers maintaining and managing the bicycles, but the bikes themselves will help reduce the social and economic isolation of suburban and rural communities by providing dedicated transportation from the margins of Tirana to the center. An additional effect of the program will be to raise awareness among citizens of the bicycle as a fun, healthy, and environmentally sound method of transportation.

For more information:

  • Click here to see a P4P report on Ecovolis from July 2012.
  • For a P4P report on the bike program in its early days (April 2011), click here.
  • Click here to see the Ecovolis facebook page.
  • This blogspot on Ecovolis has great photos of the bikes and the people who work on them.
bicycles, Guatemala, Sewing Partners

FIDESMA: P4P Partner in Guatemala

fidesmaLogo

FIDESMA is the Fundación Integral de Desarrollo Sostenible y Medio Ambiente, Foundation for Sustainable Development and the Environment. With headquarters in San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, FIDESMA was founded in 1998 and has five major programs: agricultural micro-credit, natural medicine, job skills and training, bicycles and environmental conservation, and health and special education for people with physical disabilities.

FIDESMA was started when Margarita Caté de Catú, the current president of FIDESMA, wanted to organize against the problems facing her community. Ms. Caté de Catú and 150 other women struggled to create the foundation with financial support from the Leadership Council.

This non-profit organization is non-political and non-religious and therefore the majority of our financial assistance comes from other non-profit organizations. Our primary role in Guatemala lies in development. FIDESMA helps the community become more self-sustainable and for this reason we distribute financial assistance (in our micro-credit program) and show the community prospective job opportunities. We hope that they will then be able to have their own business, thereby contributing to the rest of the Guatemalan economy.

 
Bike Race at the grade school in San Andrés Itzapa in honor of
Guatemalan Independence Day with bikes from FIDESMA!

 

FIDESMA is one of fifteen organizations of FEDENMURG (la Federación de Mujeres Rurales de Guatemala), a national, democratic association that promotes social development. The women members fight for the rights of rural women throughout Guatemala, along with bringing awareness to the preservation of the environment.

fidesmaGuatemala_lourdeslg

The FIDESMA sewing course teaches women how to make all types of clothing. Lourdes Santiso Salizar was one of the first graduates of the sewing course in 1999 and now has her own women’s clothing business specializing in wedding gowns. Click here to see a report on Lourdes from the Fall 2006 InGear newsletter.

fidesmaGuatemala_shampoosm

FIDESMA’s natural products courses teach local women how to use natural plants to make shampoo and soap to sell in the local market. Grupo Mujeres Integrados en Accion has 10 members that work weekly to make aloe shampoo and soap. Ana Maria Guch is one member who is a widow with 8 children who supports her family from the sale of their natural products. Click here to read more about the shampoo production process.

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The Mujeres Maya (Mayan Women) Kaqchiqoel from Santa Caterina Barahona received a micro-loan from FIDESMA in 2001 to start their traditional weaving business. Click here to read a 2006 InGear article about the Mujeres Maya. Click here to read more and see samples of their work.

DSC01215smBikeBox

Jorge Luis of San Andrés Itzapa uses his bicycle from FIDESMA to sell ice cream in the outlying villages. He averages about 20km everday on his bicycle riding from 5am to 5pm. He is able to support his wife and 7 children from the money he makes selling ice cream. Click here to see more of his story.

P4P’s 100,000th bicycle went to FIDESMA in 2006! Click here to read more about the bike, its journey, and Mateo Patzan, the happy recipient.

P4P’s 150,000th bicycle went to FIDESMA in 2017!! Click here for the whole story.