All posts by Michael Sabrio

bicycles, Nicaragua

Cycling Cowboys

by Patricia Hamill
Winter 2012 InGear

When asked to think about ranches and cowboys, many Americans picture John Wayne charging after rustlers or even James Stewart riding easily along, bell gently ringing as it swings from his saddle horn. Some think about modern ranchers using helicopters to move the herds and blocking off watering holes to force the animals (and local wildlife) to move to new sources of water and grazing. The first is not accurate, the second, disruptive and wasteful. But do we think at all about cowboys outside of North America? In fact, there are choices that ranchers and cowboys in Nicaragua make that are not only forward-looking, but directly related to American industry. No, this is not about where to get your next burger, this is about how the cowboys alleviate a concern that many a cowhand has had to ponder since the business of cattle came about: How do I do my job with the least expense to myself financially and physically?

Javier Venegas working on the ranch
Javier Venegas working on the ranch

The answer, for some, is simple: Use a bicycle. This at first seems unrealistic. The amount of ground to be covered each day and the uneven terrain to navigate together make you think that this is not a good long-term answer. But, it is. And Javier Venegas is one of many who can attest to the practicality and financial pluses of replacing a horse with a bike.

The owners of large farms have regular need of cowboys out with the herds. They need men to move the cattle from pasture to pasture and to protect the cattle from being rustled by thieves and the poor who may think that one or two missing cattle won’t count to the owner. Traditionally, the cowboys rode around on horses all day—and some still do—but not Javier. Javier is a mountain bike rider and, on a daily basis, he herds a hundred head of cattle for the owners of a ranch named Plazuelas.

Work in the countryside begins at 5 a.m. and lasts until noon and, after a rest period, tasks are resumed for the afternoon. Now, not all work on a ranch requires use of a horse; but, even so, the horses can only be on the job for about 40 hours a week.

Just like many of the cowboys in America (in movies and real life) these men own their own horses—they are not provided to them. This means that part of their earnings goes back into feeding their animals, shoeing or trimming their feet, and any vet bills that may be necessary for treating injuries or for maintenance (worming, vaccinations, floating (filing) teeth, etc.). This can cost as much as $50 (U.S.) a week in Nicaragua and this is very expensive for a rural population that is quite poor. The bike, however, is always at the ready and is much cheaper to maintain. In fact, Javier is a bike lover, so he is fortunate to be able to ride his preferred method of transportation and get paid while doing it.

The first thought that came to me while writing this was that it seemed like a lot of extra physical effort would be needed to herd cattle with a bike. Professional trainers and competitive riders will attest that riding a horse is not a passive effort, but if most of the cowboys’ day is spent at the walk, with occasional trotting and cantering, they really don’t get much exercise. According to Javier, the bicycles are not difficult to maneuver and often offer easier access to some terrain than the horse. As well, many of the men prefer the extra exercise on the bikes and view cycling as a chance to become fit on the job. The only job the horse seems to do better than the bikes is move quite fast at sudden notice, but they can only maintain that for so long and this is not a regular need.

Overall, the trend in the Rivas area is toward eliminating the use of horses and purchasing mountain bikes from EcoBici instead. This is a much more cost-efficient decision for the cowboys of Nicaragua and certainly presents a much lighter economic and ecological footprint option than helicopter wrangling or disrupting the local wildlife habitats by blocking watering holes. Yet again, American bicycles have a multifaceted impact on a multitude of lives and lifestyles. Maybe some of our own cattlemen should read this newsletter.

bicycles, Guatemala

Chris Van Dine in Guatemala

Winter 2012 InGear

Jenna Lollis and Chris Van Dine in Guatemala
Jenna Lollis and Chris Van Dine in Guatemala

Chris Van Dine is a first-generation professional racer who grew up living the mountain bike lifestyle from its beginnings. At an early age, Chris developed a taste for speed and won his first mountain bike race when he was eight. His proclivity for travel and adventure has taken him to pinnacle experiences and jaw dropping first descents from Alaska to Patagonia. After being confronted with the realities of the developing world, Chris realized that his passion and experience could actually impact peoples’ lives on a basic level. From that point, his mission became one of ambassadorship and philanthropy.

Click here (http://goo.gl/cH13L) to see a four-and-a-half-minute video of Chris cycling in Guatemala. At 3:29 he films the opening of a P4P container in San Andrés.

bicycles, Guatemala, Sewing Partners

Spotlight: FIDESMA

by Patricia Hamill
Summer 2012 InGear

FIDESMA has established facilities in San Andrés Itzapa from which it implements its programs in all of the surrounding communities. Established in 1998, the foundation has a very clear mission: to promote the sustainable development of families and communities by initiating or supporting programs and projects in the areas of education, with technical assistance and economic aid for conservation and protection of the environment in the rural regions of Guatemala.

One grant from Japan and one from a Canadian monastery together established FIDESMA. Japan’s participation in this project enabled the foundation to erect their administrative building complete with computer labs. The foundation was also able to build satellite labs called “capacity centers” in the more remote hill regions and small towns. Each satellite lab has 4–5 computers. These labs are used solely for the purposes of teaching technological skills to those interested in this type of occupation.

The agricultural arm of the foundation exists thanks to a monastic order located in Quebec. The order had land in San Andrés and, once they became aware of what FIDESMA was setting out to accomplish, they donated a portion of this property to the foundation.

Bicycles for sale at the local market
Bicycles for sale at the local market

P4P partnered with FIDESMA in ’99 and, since this collaboration began, there have been more than 6,000 bicycles and close to 200 sewing machines shipped. The initial proceeds of these sales were not for discretionary spending but to use for the handicapped of the region. The unfortunate reality of life there is that children who have any type of disability, from mild physical handicaps to severe mental and physical debilitations have no opportunity for aid. There is little or no birth control in this region as well, so a severely handicapped child is most likely part of a large family, thus there is often even less money and time to attend to specialized needs. FIDESMA works to assist these families in understanding and accessing proper nutrition and consistent hygienic practices—especially for those who are especially incapacitated and unable to travel.

It’s really quite amazing how the sale of an American bike actually has enabled such products as fresh, local vegetables or a toothbrush and toothpaste to become available in a remote region in Guatemala and help an overwhelmed parent properly care for her disabled child. While these families still receive assistance, the proceeds of sales of bikes and sewing machines now also enable FIDESMA to expand their interests.

An eager sewing student in the FIDESMA sewing classroom.
An eager sewing student in the FIDESMA sewing classroom.

FIDESMA is fundamentally concerned with education and creating or nurturing one’s capacity to work at regular jobs or start a business. There are carpentry, baking, computer, and plumbing courses to choose from. In fact, the foundation buildings include dormitories in order to lessen students’ concern over daily travel or lodging. When you think about the combination of bicycle travel and lodging for students, two elements of this economic expansion stand out: FIDESMA is not contributing to excessive fuel consumption and is preventing pollution of the local environment.

This preservation of the community on the personal and environmental levels shows in the beaming faces in the photographs that Señora Margarita flashed before us on the screen. The audience was treated to images of small children proudly showing their perfectly sized bikes and the teenagers sporting bright red or sleek black trail bikes. Moms happily roll by with youngsters mounted behind them. One of the most memorable images was a testament to the pride that people develop when they earn rather than receive their possessions: A group of young men sporting plastic piggy banks filled with the money that they had earned and saved in order to purchase their first bikes.

A brother and sister saved their change to purchase their own bicycles.
A brother and sister saved their change to purchase their own bicycles.

FIDESMA brings opportunity to you if you cannot come to them. Members of the foundation will take bikes out to villagers who cannot easily get to them to make the purchases. They also set up groups of bikes during feasts and holidays where there is guaranteed to be a crowd. Walk miles to celebrate? Ride home on affordable transportation.

P4P just shipped its 13th container to Guatemala. This is a long-term and strong relationship that promises to remain that way and we hope that Señora Margarita and FIDESMA’s executive director Señora Isabel Salazer will be willing to return to Hunterdon County to update us on the progress of these programs and treat us to more images of these working programs and independent business owners.

bicycles, Guatemala, Sewing Partners

A Partner Comes to Hunterdon County

by Patricia Hamill
Summer 2012 InGear

The night of April 20th, 2012, was an especially inspiring evening for P4P. Gathering in the intimate space of the Hunterdon Medical Center auditorium, we sponsored two wonderful presentations. The night was dedicated to a talk by Señora Maria Margarita Caté de Catú, founder of FIDESMA (Foundation for the Environment and Sustainable Development), whose organization runs economic-development programs in the rural highlands of her native country, Guatemala. Many of the programs that FIDESMA sponsors, including agricultural and technological development, are funded by the sales of bicycles and sewing machines that they receive from us.

Dave Schweidenback and Margarita Caté in front of the FIDESMA building
Dave and Margarita in front of the FIDESMA building

Opening for Señora Margarita, so to speak, was documentary film-maker Greg Sucharew who shared the trailer for his upcoming film, The Bicycle City. This is “the story of the struggle, determination, idealism, and hope that has brought about the transformation of an entire society.” Greg’s lens records the tangible changes occurring in Rivas, Nicaragua, thanks to organizations like Pedals for Progress who have energized the economy by making bicycles an accessible commodity for the local population. We all eagerly await the release of this important testament to the measurable success of how American citizens’ involvement in nonprofit goals affects economically limited regions and countries across the world.

On stage, Señora Margarita described the location and mission of FIDESMA before proceeding to highlight the ongoing programs, aided by a wonderful slide show of participants in the foundation’s programs. The audience witnessed students in groups or individually working at computers or attending lectures related to computer proficiency, nutrition, agriculture, and other such personally and professionally useful topics. Photos showed people of all ages and both genders using bikes to get to work or working on these bikes for a living. Multiple family members were shown proudly displaying their bikes and we were treated to the image of a mob of serious competitive cyclists at the starting line of a race. Ladies looked up from their sewing machines and large pots of agave leaves boiled on stoves in a large indoor workroom provided by FIDESMA.

A table sat nearby the stage laden with expertly woven and beautifully colored wraps, purses, scarves, and pouches made by women who have been affiliated with FIDESMA for quite some time. A number of us purchased multiple pieces and, with the aid of our trusty translators, CEO of P4P David Schweidenback and our hard-working web master Reykha Bonilla, Señora Margarita patiently explained the meaning and relevance of the colors and designs of each backstrap-woven textile. She made a point of likening a traditional motif—the partial physical connection of two passing snakes—to the relationship of FIDESMA and P4P. No, not tangled or poisonous, but interconnected and flowing and meeting together even though moving independently. It really was a pleasure to be able to spend such intimate time getting to understand both the work that was being purchased and knowing where the dollars spent were definitely going. There were lots of smiles and many laughs even with the slight delay of the language barrier.

Guatemala

FIDESMA: Microcredit and Sustainable Agricultural Practices

by Patricia Hamill
Summer 2012 InGear

Coffee processing plant
Coffee processing plant

FIDESMA’s ability to offer microcredit is directly connected to its participation with P4P. If not for the bicycles and sewing machines they sell, FIDESMA would not be able to offer the loans so needed by local farmers in order to evolve from subsistence farming to business owners with progressive agricultural practices. Progressive? This isn’t about planting what you can on a squat impoverished patch of dust. While there was a limited supply of fresh and nutritious vegetables in town, the land itself is not to blame. The same rich soil that enables the coffee planters to thrive can of course support other types of agricultural interests. Poverty and lack of access to large plots of land are primarily what keeps local people from cultivating their own farms for personal use and larger distribution, so FIDESMA invested in a community garden with the hope that a greater supply of locally grown produce with higher nutritional value than what is currently found in the marketplace would initiate a movement towards physical and financial health in the region.

A group of 12 full-time farmers, each with 2 helpers, rents the land from FIDESMA under a 3-year contract. Strawberries, tomatoes, peppers, peas, and corn all grow in raised beds fed with drip irrigation which is gravity fed from the hillside above. Fertilizer flows through the drip irrigation system and hoop houses. Remay fabric is often used to keep pests off or to protect the plants from extreme weather exposure. These accomplishments are not solely the result of FIDESMA’s micro-lending practices. Many people in this region have generations of agricultural expertise to draw from. What they lacked was a source of affordable financing and privately owned land to apply their knowledge while also having access to updated technologies and tools.

The result of this collaboration is a plethora of nutritious vegetables in the local market, grown by independent farmers who also export to neighboring communities, thus generating a greater income circulation than small individual slope-side plots could provide.

Guatemala

Stovetop Shampoo in Guatemala: New Production of an Ancient “Must Have”

by Patricia Hamill
Summer 2012 InGear

Scraping the aloe plant for the shampoo
Scraping the aloe plant for the shampoo

Although P4P is not currently planning on adding stoves to its repertoire of collections and shipments, we felt that it was important to highlight how organizations like FIDESMA search out every option available to enable every possible idea or practice to evolve into a thriving business. When David went to visit this winter, Señora Margarita proudly pointed out how lovely the local women’s hair is. No matter how long or short, there seemed to be no lack of health and shine in these ladies’ tresses. To those of us with access to every miracle product modern chemistry and “new” natural options offer, this may seem mundane, but this is not a cosmopolitan area and no store holds ready-made specialized products. She took David to see for himself how FIDESMA was involved in the production and dissemination of the product responsible for this beauty: shampoo made from locally grown agave by local women and available for sale beyond local boundaries.

Mixing the aloe with water to create the shampoo
Mixing the aloe with water to create the shampoo

Is this remarkable? Not in general, until you become aware of the fact that without the stoves that FIDESMA provides, they would only be able to make smaller batches over longer periods of time, thus ensuring that only enough shampoo would be made for personal or local consumption. These stoves make the difference between limited cottage industry and competitive sustainable products creating reliable income.

Alongside the dominant Hispanic population, there are a number of small groups of indigenous people in and around San Andrés who have supported themselves by marketing the products of their ancestors. On his tour, David met Doña Ana Maria Guich and her friends, a group of indigenous women who have been producing the soft-soap shampoo at FIDESMA since the year 2000. The making of the shampoo itself is labor-intensive and fascinating to watch. This process is done by hand in a modest space provided as well by FIDESMA. On the day that David visited the ladies, he watched as they prepped the 120 leaves they had gathered from 20 plants and began the process of cleaning, slicing open, and scraping out the extremely gooey centers of the leaves. They added to this gelatinous mass equal parts water, mixed it all together, and then cooked the concoction on the stoves. After the cooling down, the shampoo was left to sit for 1-2 days before being bottled. At least one hundred pounds of leaves are needed to in order to make 400 bottles.

Label from the FIDESMA Aloe Shampoo
Label from the FIDESMA Aloe Shampoo

This time-consuming work had been done in makeshift shelters or in the direct sun before these women came to be associated with the foundation. The most basic changes to the mechanics of the process and the working environment allow Doña Ana and her partners the chance to make a greater return on their labor and reach a wider consumer base, thus perpetuating the interest in and dedication to continuing to create this sustainable product. Perhaps our readers will one day find this shampoo on shelves in American stores that participate in promoting safe ingredients, sustainable consumption, and fair-trade imports.

Guatemala, Sewing Partners

Mujeres Maya, Guatemala

fall2006GuatDSC01314mujeresMayaSmallColor

Mujeres Maya (Mayan Women) Kaqchiqoel of Santa Caterina de Barahona is a cooperative weaving business whose members create amazing hand weavings by using the traditional weaving techniques handed down to them by their grandmothers. The Mujeres Maya received a micro-loan from our partner FIDESMA in Guatemala to start their business. Today they have a stall in the major tourist city of Antigua, where they sell their goods.

Maria using the hand loom
Maria using the hand loom
Santa Caterina de Barahona
Santa Caterina de Barahona
Table cloth with Quetzal
Table cloth with Quetzal
Traditional hand loom
Traditional hand loom
Huipil: traditional indigenous garment
Huipil: traditional indigenous garment
Christmas table runner
Christmas table runner
Table cloths
Table cloths
Dios de Maiz, Corn God
Dios de Maiz, Corn God
Detail of a huipil
Detail of a huipil
mujeresGuatemalaIsabel2DSC01318sm
Isabel demonstrates how the threads are counted for the hand-loom.
Isabel demonstrates how the threads are counted for the hand-loom.
 mujeresGuatemalaIsabel1DSC01321sm
bicycles, Collectors

Pedals Unites Generations, Church, and Town

by Rev. Chris Vande Bunte, Colts Neck Reformed Church, Colts Neck, NJ
Spring 2012 InGear

People begin asking about it usually a month or two after we’ve just done it. Calls come in from our town and surrounding towns, “Are you that church…?” Participants begin strategizing weeks and months ahead about how things could run more smoothly, how we could inform donors more easily and effectively compared to last year. For the Colts Neck Reformed Church, our Pedals for Progress Bicycle Collection has become an anticipated and rewarding annual event for our congregation and our community.

The 2011 Collection Crew in Colts Neck
The 2011 Collection Crew in Colts Neck

For our congregation, the Pedals Collection is a chance for families, adults, and especially our teens to lend a hand and join together for a day of local hands-on volunteering that has far-reaching effects. It seems that each year more and more people want to help—who wouldn’t want to be involved with a successful program? Mechanically minded members who are collection veterans take the lead in showing others how to prep bikes and ready them for shipping. Those less mechanically inclined have signed up to be greeters and drop-off directors for people donating. They have been essential in getting the word out about Pedals to those who come to drop off a bike. Besides, it never hurts to give a friendly hello to a visitor!

We have seen those who’ve participated in our collection come back year after year to help. Our congregation is thrilled to have such a local experience have such a global impact. Through this single event each year, we join in a multi-generational mission endeavor, have the opportunity to welcome many new visitors to our church property and share our commitment to mission with our community.

Bikes ready for the P4P truck in Colts Neck
Bikes ready for the P4P truck in Colts Neck

Past years have seen sometimes two annual collections and up to 300 donations, but that changed a bit a few years ago when we saw our donations dip due in large part to the economy. We decided to get creative and worked to get the word out even more. We have found our local newspapers and magazines very receptive to print and online community event postings with a number coming to cover the collection each year. We have also contacted our town about the annual clean-up day they hold. Our public works department receives a number of bicycles in good condition each year during our clean-up day as people clear out their garages. A simple phone call saves them from the dump and instead gets them put aside for our collection a few weeks later. With repeat donors and increased publicity efforts, we’ve seen our collection numbers rise to some of our best efforts ever. In addition, we’ve found more bicycle donors willing not only to contribute a $10 donation, but even more to support Pedals. We’ve even begun to see sewing machines in our collection too!

As a church mission leader, I don’t think you can go wrong working with Pedals for Progress. Their staff can help you develop a first-time collection and instructs you along the way each year. By hosting a collection, the congregation is able to raise its profile in a positive way in the community. In addition, a Pedals collection allows a local mission project to have global reach. The Colts Neck Reformed Church is excited not only to host an annual collection, but also to make Pedals for Progress part of our annual benevolence-giving to help them continue their mission around the world.

bicycles, Collectors

Service Above Self

By Dr Jerry Agasar, Committee Chair of the Newtown Rotary club
Spring 2012 InGear

The 2010 Newtown Rotary Club Collection
The 2010 Newtown Rotary Club Collection

What a great marriage Pedals for Progress (P4P) and the Newtown Rotary Club has been. Our relationship started back in 2003 when the club was looking to do more service projects in the community, instead of just having fundraisers and donating the money to a particular group. We had become comfortable raising money and being generous with our allocations to various community organizations, but we wanted to become more active in service projects. Our president at the time received a flyer from a South Jersey club, which had run a successful bike collection and asked me to see what the club could do. Having been a 20-year veteran of Rotary, I had experience with other projects and knew that if I surrounded myself with a committed team and we created energy behind the project we should do okay. But I really had no idea what to expect.

For those who are not familiar with The Rotary Club, it is first an international service organization. Basically, we are local clubs that are connected globally. The motto of Rotary International is “Service Above Self.” It’s all about giving back to your community, locally and beyond.

The 2011 Newtown Rotary Club Collection
The 2011 Newtown Rotary Club Collection

In our first collection, we received 128 bicycles, which was great for the people in Central America who received them. But it was also a really positive experience for the Rotarians, creating an energy and nice buzz with our members. The P4P project inspired both young and more mature members and brought them together. Our members also connected to the area students from the Interact Club, the high school version of Rotary, from Council Rock High School North. They assisted young and not-so-young Rotarians in breaking down the bicycles to prepare them for shipment overseas.

After our initial success, I didn’t understand how we could go back the very next year in the same community and ask for more bike donations. During the second collection, we received 170 bicycles. The third and fourth years we collected over 300 bikes. P4P had to make two trips. It was amazing. Our club members were brought together in service, connecting to each other and the Interact students. But more importantly we helped many people internationally.

bicycles, Collectors

Pedals for Progress and School-based Community Service

by Kelli McMahon
Spring 2012 InGear

As a middle-school teacher, helping twelve- and thirteen-year-olds understand the importance of giving back to their community and their world is just as important as teaching them how to infer meaning from a text, how to organize their writing, or how to solve for x. I am lucky enough to work in a building where community service opportunities are abundant and there seems to be constant flow of fundraising for different causes. When I started teaching here at Tohickon Middle School in Doylestown, PA, eight years ago, I, along with the team of teachers I worked with, wanted to create a community service activity that stood out from all of the other options already in place. We wanted something that would not only help others, but would give our particular team of students a chance to learn something new and important and provide a chance for them to work together to build a strong relationship. One of the teachers on our team had heard of Pedals for Progress and suggested that we hold a bike drive. After a little research into the organization, we decided to give it a try.

Since then, we have held eight bike drives—one each year—and have collected over 800 bicycles and approximately $9,800.

Students preparing a bicycle for the shipping container
Students preparing a bicycle for the shipping container

Along with the knowledge that the lives of over 800 individuals have been improved, the students involved in the bike drive have a great learning experience. Each year, our new team of 7th graders is presented with the task of organizing the bike drive. To do this, the students learn many life skills that cannot be taught in a classroom. First, students must research the countries where the bikes might be sent and attempt to grasp the need present in those countries. In a time of cell phones and computers and iPods, it can be difficult for kids to understand that there are people in the world who consider running water and transportation by motor vehicle luxuries; so, having the students research the countries with which Pedals for Progress partners gives the students a glimpse into how people in other, less fortunate parts of world live. This not only helps the students realize how the bikes will improve the lives of those receiving them, but also helps them understand how fortunate they are.

After researching the countries, the students work together in groups to develop an advertising plan, which includes designing a flyer that they can distribute in their neighborhoods and communities. It would seem that getting people to come to our bike drive each year would get harder and harder, being that it is held in the same town and advertised to the same community each time. One would expect that the flow of used bikes would run dry sooner rather than later. However, with our new crop of seventh graders each year come new ideas and new motivation and they always seem to get the word out about the drive to people who have not been reached before. This has led to our successful run of bike drives. Working in their groups to advertise the bike drive, the students learn the benefits of teamwork. This makes the relationships among our students stronger. Throughout this process the students also gain some insight into how to market an idea, which is a very important and relevant skill to have in today’s world.

Students in front of the Tohickon Middle School Building after their collection
Students in front of the Tohickon Middle School Building
after their collection

Finally, after researching and planning and advertising, comes the day of the bike drive—the day when all of the hard work and effort put forth by the students pays off. Over our eight years holding a drive, we have collected bikes in wind, sun, rain and even a rare October snowstorm. Each time, no matter what the weather, it is a day of teamwork, fun, and memories. The kids enjoy working together to “break down” the bikes to prepare them for shipping and assist the donors with the bikes they are coming to deliver. The people who come to donate are always so grateful to get rid of the bikes that were clogging their garages and that they didn’t know what to do with. This aspect of hosting a Pedals for Progress Bike Drive is such a perfect model for a community service activity.

Everyone wins. The students gain invaluable life lessons and teamwork skills. The people who donate are happy to have found a home for their unwanted, but not unusable, bikes that were taking up much needed space and gathering cobwebs. Most of all, the lives of the individuals who receive the bikes in different parts of the world are forever changed. Getting to work or school, reaching needed medical attention, and accessing water and food sources all become easier for those that the bikes reach. Hosting a Pedals for Progress Bike Drive is the ultimate win-win and we look forward to doing year after year.