Category Archives: bicycles

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

bicycles, Peace Corps

The Borough of High Bridge Green Award, 1/22/15

P1110921David Schweidenback is hereby the recipient of the High Bridge Environmental Commission’s eighth annual Borough of High Bridge Green Award for 2014 in recognition of his continuing dedication to promoting environmental preservation.

David Schweidenback was “Caught Being Green” by fellow residents who nominated him for this award for his ongoing environmental actions. David’s Pedals for Progress organization founded in 1991 rescues bicycles destined for overburdened US landfills and ships them to developing countries where they are sorely needed and highly valued. P4P Bikes are put to work not only is basic transportation, but are used as a supplement to school and community programs.

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The Environmental Commission recognizes that David has had the distinguished honor of being twice invited delegate to the International Convention of Environmental Laureates in 2012 and 2013.

The Mayor and Council of the Borough of High Bridge, County of Hunterdon and and the State of New Jersey sincerely appreciate his commitment to reducing the amount of trash we generate and creating an awareness for environmentally sound transportation.

Mark Desire, Mayor

bicycles, Guatemala

Happy 2015 from FIDESMA – Guatemala

FELIZ-Au00D1O-NUEVO2015Hola David, Muchos Saludos, Esperamos se encuentre bién, con bendición en su casa. Agradecemos a Usted y su asociación, todo el apoyo que nos da, es un proyecto que beneficia a muchos hogares y familias, hace más feliz la vida de muchos niños, jovenes y personas que jamás pensaban que podían tener una bicicleta para su ayuda personal y laboral. Adjuntamos una sencilla tarjeta, de todo corazon, deseamos que lo usted esté haciendo sea de bendición para todos los que le rodean.

Hasta pronto,

Margarita Caté y compañeros
FIDESMA Guatemala

Dear David, Greetings from FIDESMA. We hope that this letter finds you well and that all is well with your family. We would like to thank you and your organization for all of the support that you give us, for all of the families that have benefitted from P4P and the children and young people that have improved their situation in life with a bicycle. We have created this simple card with all of our hearts and sincerely feel that all of your work is a blessing to everyone that comes in contact with Pedals for Progress.

Until we speak again,

Maragarita Caté and Associates
FIDESMA Guatemela

bicycles

In Honor of Sean Tyrrell

By Fran Tyrrell

“On October 18th, 2014, a memorial bike ride in honor of my husband, Shawn Tyrrell, was held in Gwinnet County, Georgia, by members of his bike club, the Gwinnett Touring Club (GTC). Shawn was an active member of the club, and toured with them both in Georgia and in Europe. Shawn passed away from a heart attack in 2013. Members of his club wanted to honor him by holding a group ride, and I was asked to pick a charity. I had heard of Pedals for Progress from my sister, who lives in West Orange, New Jersey, and the great work that this organization provides. Since Pedals for Progress is a group that combines our love of cycling with a global commitment to sustainable programs in developing countries, it was the perfect charity to choose. We had a beautiful day for the ride, and were provided with support along the route by club members, and even a police escort! We look forward to holding this event annually in the future.”

gtc2 triple_Shawn GTC