On 28 May 2016 we loaded our ninth shipment to Albania: 520 bikes and 20 sewing machines. This makes 4,422 bikes and 175 sewing machines we’ve sent to Albania.
Category Archives: bicycles
Summer 2016 Podcast Featuring Dave
CNN Heroes is a TV special created by CNN to honor individuals who make extraordinary contributions to humanitarian aid and who make a difference in their communities. Dave Schweidenback, P4P founder and CEO, was a 2008 CNN Hero for his work with P4P. Shin Fujiyama was a 2009 CNN Hero. He founded Students Helping Honduras, an NGO that runs projects in Honduras to support education, housing, and microfinance.
In the summer of 2016, Shin got in touch with Dave and recorded a conversation about P4P history, philosophy, the economics of development and non-profits, the introduction of the wheel, corrupt customs officials, and lots more.
Shin published the conversation in his podcast series. Shin’s website has lots more information about Students Helping Honduras and his other activities.
Click here for an introduction to and a summary of Shin’s conversation with Dave and for links to the podcast audio files.
Moldova
Spring 2016 InGear
The granddaughter of one of our key volunteers had a bike she had outgrown and she wanted her grandfather to donate it to Pedals for Progress. We wrapped it up with orange tape so we could follow it and then we put it in the front of a container going to Chisnau, Moldova.
We thought we had lost track of this bike as we had not heard back from our partner, but it turned out we just had an email problem, which is now fixed. This is the very happy little girl who received the bicycle from a very generous young American.
Update from Ghana, Fall 2015
by Kwaku Agyemang
Spring 2016 InGear
[In November of 2014, P4P sent an entire 40-foot container of just spare bicycle parts to WEBike, our partner in Ghana, West Africa. These parts, valued at a little over $300,000, were a generous donation to P4P from Bell Sports. Here is a report from Kwaku Agyemang, our partner at WEBike in Ghana.]
When we got the shipment containing the bicycle spare parts, our idea was to use them to repair and service some old unusable bicycles that have been in WEBike’s warehouse for some time now. These bicycles were unusable because some parts were missing or not working when the shipment arrived. Bike parts from some unusable bikes were used to repair other bikes to make them ready for dispatching, but we still had many bikes in no condition to sell or donate.
Besides using the new parts to repair the bikes in our warehouse, WEBike decided to try an additional strategy. We wanted to visit some people who already had our bikes to check the condition of their bikes. Maintaining a bike can be very expensive, so it makes sense to help with maintenance as well as with the original acquisition of the bikes.
For instance, in Walewale we visited Mr. Usifu, a student teacher. Though Mr. Usifu’s bicycle was in good shape, all his tires had worn out. We gave Mr. Usifu a set of tires and tubes to get his bike back on the road. This placed a big smile on his face.
We also visited Paa Joe, an apprentice and inhabitant of Suhum in the Eastern region. We discovered that his bicycle had been unusable for some months. When asked why, Paa Joe lamented that he was the youngest apprentice in the shop where he learns his trade, and that his bicycle had been seriously abused by his master and his senior colleagues. Paa Joe further explained that because the bike was unlocked when he got to work, it was at the service of everyone at the shop and his junior position at the shop prevented him from saying a word. WEBike checked the bike carefully and gave Paa Joe a set of tires, a bell, pedals, a seat, lights and a little cash to help him fix his bike. He was also given a lock to ensure his bike was safe anytime he was at work. He was very grateful and speechless at our kindness.
We also visited Esi, a student of Nkwanta Senior High in the Volta Region. We found Esi‘s bike to be functioning very well. When asked how she keeps the bike in such good shape and how she maintained it, Esi replied that the bike was her only means of getting to school on time so she had to save some of her pocket money to maintain the bike. Esi also complained that some of her own friends call her names because she refuses to offer them a ride when they ask. But she was of the view that they lived close to school and could easily get there on foot. She on the other hand had to walk for hours to get to school before the intervention of WEBikes. She further explained how much her education meant to her and that she did not want to jeopardize it. We gave Esi a pair of tires, a seat, a bell, lights and other parts to be used whenever she needs them.
In the towns we visited, we also noticed that some people who had not gotten their bikes from us were having problems with their bikes. We want to help them, too. We met Mr. Cobbla at a bicycle shop where he repairs his bike. After a chat with him we gave him a seat, a bell, and a set of tubes, which he needed to fix his bicycle. We also spotted Mr. Azuri pushing his bike to the workshop. Mr. Azuri told WEBike he had to walk for 30 minutes to the shop to fix his flat tire. We gave him set of tires and tubes to maintain his bike. He was very grateful and pleased with the organization.
Bicycles Support Roma Children in Albania
by Ened Mato
Spring 2016 InGear
December 2015: 2 babies died from the cold. They belonged to the Roma community, one of the most marginalized communities in Albania. Since 1990 they have been in constant movement.
They raise their homes near rivers so they have access to water for drinking and cleaning. Simultaneously they do some of the best work that humans do for their planet, which is recycling. But they suffer, they have always suffered in Albania. They have more than 25 years of living on trash heaps and wandering in the open air.
The Roma people in Albania alone have 500 of their children at risk from the cold, the winter rains, and from poverty. They are full of life. You can find them everywhere, separating trash from recyclables. You can find them in the street begging for money, or in bars selling almonds and walnuts.
They are everywhere, and often are victims of violence, exploitation, or abuse. You can see these kids everywhere except at school! None of them go to school for a simple reason: they are unwashed and unkempt, and are too embarrassed to attend school, where they feel rejected. Their problem lies precisely in their living conditions. This is the point where all the problems of this community begin. Lacking adequate living conditions, they lack the opportunities that others have. So because of the lack of sanitation in their communities they do not go to school but instead go out on the street. It is a vicious circle from which it is so difficult to disconnect the dots. This is why we hope to attack the problem at its root.
All the money from the sale of the first 100 bicycles from our recent P4P container will go to provide the first house trailers of the First Roma Park in Albania. The trailers will ensure minimal living conditions, adapted also to their nomadic culture. We will supply house trailers to 40 families with 150 children. Pedals for Progress will be the catalyst of this change.
These children will leave the streets and will return to school. They will have the opportunity to be educated and they will have a future. But what is most important is that these Roma will have a roof over their heads for the first time in 25 years. There will be no more babies dying from the cold.
It’s Not Just Any Bike That Will Do
by Patricia Hamill
Spring 2016 InGear
When requests for donations are made, it’s often assumed that any item, no matter how worn or outdated, is better than none at all. That is correct—for the most part—because old and unwanted cycles definitely can be resurrected, recycled, and repurposed. We have taken even the most well traveled bikes and turned them into viable and reliable transportation for many new owners. But here is the catch: What if the recipients have special requirements or requests? Is it enough to send what happens to be donated at a particular time and let those at the receiving end figure out how to manage from there?
The bikes we send are in good shape and ready to be purchased, so it’s not like anyone has to repair anything before they get rolling. So maybe that is good enough. But who is to say what enough is? There is a story that Gloria Steinem tells about a turtle she found near a road. She was sure the turtle was in danger and in need of help. She made a point of returning it to the river it “belonged” in only to find out later that she had interfered with the turtle’s arduous efforts to travel to her nesting spot. Steinem took that lesson of assumption to heart and began to apply it to all she does when she helps others. Basically she admonishes us all to “Always ask the turtle.” So, we at P4P find ourselves in a similar situation except the turtle has come to us. In other words, we have found out that the concept of what is good enough is relative and our assistance is needed not just for access to jobs but to athletic ambitions that can offer opportunities for life improvement. There are recipients that know better than us what they need and we should pay attention to that.
In 2014, we introduced a young man named Juan Carlos Jimenez based in Rivas, Nicaragua. The article, “For the Love of Bicycles” shares Juan’s ambitions to become a competitive bicycle racer. It was the donation of a carbon fiber Motobecane bicycle that made this possible. In fact, his daily employment was in a bicycle shop, so his financial and professional aspirations were both enhanced by his association with P4P. Today we reflect on Sergio Ramos Antonio Quintero, a 25-year-old living in the Nicaraguan municipality of Diriamba. A textile worker by trade, his great interest is in racing bikes and he hopes to do this full time; but he lacks access to the kinds of cycles that can propel his goals into reality.
So far, he has participated in a number of long-distance races in Nicaragua, winning many second places and bronze medals. His ambition is to be able to have more time to hone his skills; but this means less time at the textile plant and less income. If he becomes good enough to participate consistently and, of course, win, he could merit financial backing from local sponsors. If Sergio leaves the textile mill, his spot will go to another who is in need of work. It’s a winning situation for more than one person.
So, returning to the example of the turtle, we all probably should work on shifting our perceptions about who is in need and what our contributions can really do. It’s not just one bike, one person. It’s about the person as well and what he or she really needs. Their locations, their terrain, their employment or lack of, and their personal ambitions and desires are all part of one large equation that we may not be able to know, but we can offer the widest range of options for them to make use of. If our recipients can thrive better with high-end competition bikes, then let’s make it happen! The good old cruisers have their place and it’s a given that children’s bikes are valued, but if you aren’t spinning past the finish line these days, there is someone out there who is working hard to earn that honor!
Let’s ask our activist and philanthropist selves not just who we can donate to but what they best need. If you don’t know the answer, ask this turtle: P4P.
Bula Vinaka from Fiji
Spring 2016 InGear
My name is Percival Epeli Navolo and I reside on the beautiful tropical land known as the Fiji Islands.
Life here on the Island has not fully modernized in certain areas compared to larger countries and many of us live day to day. Here on the Island income levels are low and many do not have the privilege of high-level education, so they cannot get good jobs. Still they have the capacity and capability of man and will power. I have involved myself in the sport of cycling for 30 years and have seen the benefits the sport brings, physically, mentally and environmentally. With the firm boosting support from the NGO organizations Pedals for Progress and Friends of Fiji, many Fijians now have a milestone opportunity to have their lives transformed.
I am formerly the president for a nationally recognised club known as the Nadi Cycling Club. We just got a 40-foot container provided by Pedals for Progress, Friends of Fiji, Green Mountain Peace Corps Volunteers, and Clif Bar Family Foundation. The container had 440 various species of bicycles and 68 perfectly operabable sewing machines.
With these materials the club can now fulfill our 3 basic goals:
- Help unemployed youths avoid violence, and instead train them in the field of bike mechanics, the bicycle trade, and the development of the sport in the country.
- Provide inexpensive, good-quality bicycles to low-income earners who need transportation to distant job locations. Besides giving them efficient transportation, bikes also help maintain their physical fitness.
- And most importantly, advocate a more environmentally friendly mode of transportation, to lessen the release of harmful gases into the atmosphere, reducing damage to the ozone layer.
We believe that each individual effort can make a difference. We were also blessed to have the first-hand privilege of helping unemployed widows who struggle to put food on their tables to feed their little young loved ones. With a source of income, these talented ladies can now use these sewing machines and sell garments they sew. Though it may not be hundreds or millions a day, the lovely smiles of relief on their faces gave us a humble relief that it was more than enough.
So we encourage all the donors and volunteers who have contributed to making a difference in individual lives all over the world to continue their hand in creating smiles and happiness.
So from the Nadi Cycling Club here in the Fiji Islands, we would like to convey a Big Vinaka Vakalevu to Pedals for Progress, Friends of Fiji, Clif Bar Family Foundation, Green Mountain Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and all the contributors for their extensive support in helping us here in the Fiji Islands move forward towards a better tomorrow.
FIDESMA report, January 2016
by Margarita Caté de Catú, President of FIDESMA, Guatemala
From December 1999 through 2015, we have received from Pedals For Progress 16 containers with 8,160 bikes and 400 sewing machines, which have directly benefited more than 8,560 people and their families.
The program has brought important benefits to our organization, to our communities, and to the country of Guatemala as a whole.
In San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango, Guatemala, we face many problems: lack of employment, lack of opportunities for women, lack of education about the environment. Children suffer from malnutrition and lack of education and job training.
But the FIDESMA/Pedals project gives kids and adults the chance to buy a bike to get around faster to school and to work, and to get some exercise, all without polluting the environment. As we have heard many times over the years, bicycles help people with their jobs. As examples consider the administrative staff of the foundation: a secretary, an accountant, a salesman, and a mechanic. With the help of their bikes, they all earn salaries that support their families.
Likewise our sewing machines benefit many families. Groups of women artisans work every day to earn a living and buy food for their children.
Besides its bicycle and sewing machine programs, FIDESMA generates funds for the maintenance and operation of the organization, for creating jobs, and for supporting social service projects. For example, we run one project for children and young people with disabilities, and another project that provides medical equipment, medicine, and basic food to the project’s medical clinics. Another project provides teaching materials to schools.
We also provide support groups for the training of women in areas such as these:
- crafts
- farming
- participatory citizenship
- dressmaking
- baking
- food packaging
- welding
Directly and indirectly, FIDESMA has benefited more than 20,000 people across the country of Guatemala, which is why we are grateful to Pedals for Progress and especially its president David Schweindenback for the selfless support extended to us for the last 16 years.
[To see a recent photo album from Guatemala, click here.]
2015 Guatemala Photo Album
[Margarita Caté de Catú, President of FIDESMA, our partner in Guatemala, sent in a report on their recent activities. Click here to see her report. She also sent lots of great photos. Here they are.]
Sixth-Grade Raffle
We donated bicycles for a sixth grade raffle to raise funds to buy uniforms and equipment for their soccer and basketball teams.
Children and Youth with Disabilities
We deliver groceries to children and youth with disabilities.
Community Banks
We promote community banks and training for small businesses.
Ecolobici
Ecolobici, our bicycle program, provides and promotes bicycles for men, women, and children of all ages.
We organize cycling events.
We bring bikes to surrounding communities.
Schools
We provide teaching materials to schools.
Women’s Programs
We provide several programs for women.
Farming
Dressmaking
Baking
Gracias, Pedals for Progress!
Loading a Container for Albania
On Saturday, 14 November 2015, a beefed up P4P crew loaded the eighth container bound for EcoVolis, our partner in Albania.
Loading is one of the P4P activities that happens behind the scenes, and the loading is a marvel to behold. These loadings take a combination of long experience, mechanical engineering, spatial awareness, young backs and muscles, brute strength, stamina, pizza, and the luck of the draw on what we have to load.
Containers are not built to fit bicycles, so there are delicate geometric calculations on what goes where. Adult bikes are our primary product, but we always have kids’ bikes, too, of several different sizes, each with its own personal preferences about where and how it wants to be loaded. We use plywood and cardboard to stack and separate the bikes. We use whatever parts and tools we have to fill the nooks and crannies in the rows of bikes.
Cost of shipping is the same no matter what the container weighs, so the idea is to pack it as full as possible. Dave’s guidelines for processing bikes are very specific: pedals off, handlebars turned sideways and down, seat lowered – we aim to make the bike as narrow and as short as possible.
A completely empty trailer is a daunting sight, but it starts to fill up pretty quickly. When all was said and done, here’s what went into the Albania container on Saturday: 483 bikes, 34 sewing machines, 10 wheels, 20 tires, 8 baskets, and 1 child bike-seat.
Those were the larger items. The smaller items went into 43 gym bags that get stuffed wherever they fit: 31 sets of pedals, 7 sets of training wheels, 1 socket toolkit, 1 pump, 13 helmets, 3 saddles, 2 handlebar bags, 6 sets of pegs, 5 inner tubes, 2 brake assemblies, 2 handfuls of nuts and bolts, and 1 chain-breaking tool.
As Dave says, there’s no good way to finish the packing. We pack the left side all the way, then shut one of the two rear doors. Then we fill every remaining cubic millimeter in a way, we hope, that won’t cause a huge landslide when the container is opened. Our partners have learned to open the doors gingerly on arrival!