Category Archives: bicycles

bicycles, Guatemala

Guatemala #15 Arrives

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Dear David,

On behalf of the beneficiaries of bikes and the beneficiaries of social projects, thank you for your continued support. We would like to thank Pedals for Progress for all of the activities FIDESMA can accomplish with the bicycles and sewing machines.

We finished the inventory of bikes, and now began with sales of the bikes and other pending activities. Attached are photos of the container when it arrived in San Andrés Itzapa.

We also want to thank you for the the magazine you sent us, everyone is reading the magazine. We will send another letter soon to update you.

Thank you from the Members of FIDESMA.

Margarita Caté

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bicycles, Collectors

KA-POW!!

Batman protecting the P4P donations
Batman protecting the P4P donations

On May 17th, 2014, the Norristown, PA, Rotary Club ran a collection as part of West Norriton Township Community Day. We were basically part of a community fair, which made the collection really unusual: besides our bicycles and sewing machines, also on hand were pony rides, a SWAT team, a helicopter landing, a magic show, Pinkie the Clown, a police exhibit with handcuffs that one of the Rotary members tried to use on her club president, and “Costumed Characters”—Batman stopped by to give the thumbs up to our bikes. A Rotary Club member has a heating and air-conditioning business with a trailer where the club collects and stores bikes and sewing machines throughout the year. We got 39 bikes and 4 sewing machines, including a gorgeous old Singer treadle machine with ornate wooden carving on the drawer fronts. Great job, guys, and keep up the good work.

bicycles, Guatemala, Sewing Partners

How do Bicycles and Sewing Machines Continue to Support FIDESMA’s Mission?

By Patricia Hamill
Spring 2014 InGear

You’ve read about our partner in Guatemala, FIDESMA, the organization that promotes economic development through micro-credit, training in textile design and agricultural programs, among other efforts. They are doing so much to contribute to the needs of the people in their region and we are pleased to have some updates for you.

Grant Recipents with their P4P bicycles
Grant Recipents with their P4P bicycles

Three young men, poor students, were awarded a grant from FIDESMA for employment training in welding. The funds were raised through the sale of the bicycles sent from P4P. Without the bicycles that were transformed into needed funds, these young men could not possibly have begun, much less finished, the four months of required training. They completed their course in November of 2013.

These young men also needed to be able to put these skills to use. This of course meant that they needed employment opportunities and a way to access the locations where they would work. A blacksmith shop was made available to them and there they created metal ornaments, bikes and candlesticks to generate the income that would continue to reinforce their financial independence. In December, these men were able to acquire bicycles that had arrived in the 14th container shipped from P4P and received by ECOLOBICI. They can now travel readily between home and work. Ease of travel was one of the obstacles the young men had to overcome since, as you’ve read so many times about so many of the people in our partners’ regions, they would have to pay for public transportation, walk many miles or, in this case, take a motorcycle taxi.

Now 6.00 quetzals (about .75 in US currency) a day are saved by using a bike and they have the added advantage of keeping in shape. They have benefited from ECOLOBICI’s project supported by P4P and they plan on continuing their studies and efforts at financial success in 2014.

The women outside the Santa Apolonia Municipal building
The women outside the Santa Apolonia Municipal building

In the container mentioned above, there were also 15 sewing machines, some earmarked for particular women who had visited the FIDESMA training center. These women, from Santa Apolonia in the District of Chimaltenango, work sewing typical huipil blouses mostly. These are traditional garments that are loose fitting like a tunic. Since these kinds of shirts are in demand, they stand to make a reliable income continuing to sew these and other viable pieces of clothing. There are more men and women who will be able to access these machines and learn how to use them or continue to work at their tailoring businesses.

bicycles, Moldova, Peace Corps

A Personal Note from Moldova

June 2014

We love to hear from people whose lives have been touched by P4P and our partners. We have been contacted by a woman who is connected with the Peace Corps and is in the process of campaigning for P4P to come to Grozesti, Moldova. If all goes well, we will ship to them in early spring. Just one container of bikes can change the lives of people in this small isolated town. Here is her message:

“My name is Carol Stadden. I am a retired baker serving as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years in a small Moldovan village in Eastern Europe called Grozesti. Moldova is a country approximately the size of Pennsylvania and is considered the poorest in Europe. Peace Corp’s mission is to promote world peace and friendship with a commitment to improving the quality of life in each host country. I am in the Small Enterprise Development program. When I first arrived at [the] site, I heard there was a village where everyone rode a bike. How incredible! In 2005, a Peace Corps volunteer, working with P4P, had arranged for 500 bikes to be shipped to his village of Pelenia. I talked to the mayor of my village and she was eager to give Grozesti the same opportunity.

spring2014moldovaGrozesti

“Many people in the village own bikes, but they are extremely old and heavy one-speed models unsuitable for navigating the rocky, hilly, unpaved roads of Grozesti. Because of P4P, the communi ty will not only be able to purchase sturdy, quality bikes for an extremely affordable price but the bikes will enable farmers to get to and from their fields more easily and children to ride to and from school–sometimes as far as 5km. I hope to work with a group of high-school students to catalogue, repair, and sell the bikes so they can learn valuable business and employment skills. There is also the possibility that a community member will step forward to start a small bicycle parts/repair shop. Any surplus funds from this project would be used to assist them.

“I am an avid cyclist back home and the first thing I did once I arrived in Moldova was to buy a bicycle. This is the perfect way for me to share my enthusiasm for cycling while promoting small business. These bikes are generating so much excitement in the village, I believe there may be a bicycle club in Grozesti’s future! To learn more about Grozesti, please go to grozesti.weebly.com. One of my first projects was to create this website as a means of promoting the village and assist me in integration.”

Albania, bicycles

Give Smiles With a Bicycle!

by Ened Mato
Spring 2014 InGear

How nice it is to donate a smile! It is a grim fact that some Albanians face the indifference of passers by and the silence of fellow citizens in general. Many children are mired in a cycle of hopeless days without experiencing the joys of a real childhood and, confused, stare straight into the future without a sense of hope. Nearly 120 of these children at the Colourful Lodge and its twin centers, every day, find not only hospitality, accommodation and a warm meal, but above all the care, love and why not, the image of what they lack and miss: Home!

spring2014albaniaContainerIn the framework of the initiative which has already made possible the delivery of 100 bicycles in 10 similar centers in Albania, the New Year’s holidays at the Colourful Lodge came under the rhythm of chiming bicycle bells that were donated by Ecovolis in collaboration with Pedals for Progress. Ecovolis representatives spent the holidays with these wonderful children, helping them learn to pedal the colorful bicycles that they, before, could only watch go by on the noisy thoroughfares of the capital city. The little ones learned that use of these bicycles created an excellent opportunity to secure a beautiful, clean, green and friendly environment to live in, quite different from the dusty wild roads of the city they wander every day.

This is not all. The people from Ecovolis also promised that they would work with the children every week, to continue helping them ride safely and have fun. For these children it was wonderful discovering that bicycles from Pedal for Progress were previously used by their American peers, whose stories and names were shared.

spring2014albaniaKidOnBikeIt was so miraculous to see the smile on a young boy named Zino. He was the first to learn to ride a bike and even swore that one day he would become the fastest cyclist in the world. Little Izidora, who spent the day cleaning the windshields of “four-wheels” vehicles as they call them, said that she loved the bike exactly because it did not deliver those “disgusting fumes and that disturbing noise.” A child named Abel immediately began calculating the increased number of packages sold, if he was to rely on his own bike instead of his tiny legs.

One of the girls, Mira, she begged for one last ride and said she would have loved to have her own bicycle so she would have the opportunity to visit her mother during the day and show her her earnings. When she was told that there would be no “last ride” because those bicycles would be staying at the Colourful Lodge, her happiness was immense. Her felicity was shared among Adrian, Ihsira, Ledio, Daklea, Oriada, Teuta, Laert , Esdalin, Landi, Artemis, Donna and dozens of other children, whose smiles were the most precious gift for the representatives of Ecovolis. “This is one of those cases, when you start making a gift, but you are the one receiving the most wonderful gift of all. To us this great gift was the smile of these kids,” Ened Mato, the Director of Ecovolis said. “Ecovolis in collaboration with Pedals for Progress is determined to continue this initiative. So far we have donated 100 bicycles in 10 centers and we are merely getting started. We will make other children smile by riding bicycles. And it’s not just about entertainment, but also presenting to them the vision of a beloved city, clean, and safe, since they are precisely the ones who walk on these streets every day.”spring2014albaniaBigGroup

It is great discovering that besides the gift of a smile, there has been bestowed upon these children a chance for a new world view—a new, achievable dream for those who all they have had are dreams. All this from the presence of a simple bicycle. In the mean time, they are riding—and smiling—without even knowing that this may be may be a ride towards the future.

bicycles, Costa Rica

Miranda Family

DSCN8096Due to its warm, sunny climate, Tacares de Grecia in the Alajuela Province is one of Costa Rica’s main areas for growing tomatoes, the dry season being the most suitable for planting crops. The Miranda Family owns a small plot for producing tomatoes. They distribute and sell their goods through roadside vendors as well as deliver tomatoes directly to customers using bicycles outfitted with baskets, charging 1000 colones (approximately $2.00) for every 2 kilos of tomatoes.

bicycles, Moldova

Thank you from Moldova

Dear Friends, Family and Supporters,

We are all so happy to be sending out this short video to thank you for your generous contributions to our Indiegogo campaign to get Tudor, Tamara, and Inesa to the USA for the Final Pitch of the Diamond Challenge 2014.

While here, the group will partake in many start-up related activities with other youth from America, go to a good old American baseball game (and throw the opening pitch!), visit the cities of Newark, Wilmington, Philadelphia, and New York, and meet with leaders from amazing organizations, from StumbleUpon to the United Nations!

There will also be a visit to the coastline and a chance for them to share their cooking schools in preparing a “masa” (this means table in Romanian) at the home of their Peace Corps mentor Carol’s sister’s home on Long Island.

As each day passes, we are finding more and more support for this exciting visit and cultural exchange opportunity. It wouldn’t have been possible without you and we are so grateful. The impact programs like the Diamond Challenge make on the lives of youth across the globe is incredibly important for the future of our world and we hope you will continue to support such initiatives in the future.

For those of you in the region who are interested to attend the live Final Pitch event in Delaware and to meet Tudor, Tamara, and all of the other talented youth, please visit the online invitation.

Again, may click here to view the video Thank You note!

In deepest gratitude,

The Diamond Challenge Leadership Team

bicycles, Costa Rica

Costa Rica Success Stories

Spring 2014 InGear

DSCN8114Santiago

23-year old Santiago Romero lives in La Guacima in the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica with his wife and two daughters, who are 1 and 3 years old. Santiago’s wife spends her day at home with the children and additionally takes care of Santiago’s sister’s two kids in the mornings. There are many factories and corporations in La Guacima and its surrounding areas; Santiago works for a hardware company ordering construction materials and recording customer orders. It takes him about 25 minutes on his bike to travel the 5km distance to and from work.

2014springCostaRicaGuillermoGuillermo

Guillermo Mendoza is a resident of the multicultural Costa Rican city of Limón. As he spends most of his time on his bicycle, making his living selling fresh fish and other food items, he makes certain to keep safe by wearing a helmet and reflective vest. Guillermo always has the freshest catch. The fishermen of Limón approach him daily to buy his fish to resell at the nearby fish market.

2014springCostaRicaMirandaMiranda Family

Due to its warm, sunny climate, Tacares de Grecia in the Alajuela Province is one of Costa Rica’s main areas for growing tomatoes, the dry season being the most suitable for planting crops. The Miranda Family owns a small plot for producing tomatoes. They distribute and sell their goods through roadside vendors as well as deliver tomatoes directly to customers using bicycles outfitted with baskets, charging 1000 colones (approximately $2.00) for every 2 kilos of tomatoes.

DSCN8185Juan

Juan Rodríguez is 72 years old. He and his wife own a small plot of land (about 200 square meters) in the outskirts of San Ramón, a city in the Alajuela Province of Costa Rica. Juan and his wife use their spare time to plant cilantro and celery. Juan’s bicycle allows him the time he needs to grow his crops. With it, he can get around his neighborhood and sell his produce easily and with no transportation costs.

bicycles, Nicaragua, Turtles

Bicycles Become Instrumental in Saving an Endangered Region in Nicaragua

Spring 2014 InGear

An enormous amount of our work here at P4P is based on reaching out to people and organizations for the support we need to keep our bike collections a success and our partners supplied with cycles and parts for maintenance and repair. When an organization initiates the contact, it tells us our efforts are working and we are making a difference. Most recently, it was Fumiji Aoki of the Turtle Conservancy offices in New York City who contacted David Schweidenback to arrange the collection and shipping of bicycles to rangers working for Paso Pacifico in southwestern Nicaragua. The difficulty in navigating the rough roads and changing terrain over long distances on foot or in the rarely available buses in this region make reliance on bicycles essential. P4P immediately got to work filling this need.

Rangers and bicycles for Christmas[3] We reached out to Kate Dolkas, a conservation associate based in Paso Pacífico’s offices in Ventura California, to fill us in on who is going to be using the bikes and how they will fit into the overall mission of their organization: “Our ranger teams comprise 20 men and women, 12 Forest Rangers and 8 Sea Turtle Rangers. All Paso Pacífico rangers are local residents of southwestern Nicaragua and many of them work as farmers or 2-3 hours away in Managua in addition to their employment with us.

“The rangers work in the Paso del Istmo, a narrow isthmus of land in southwestern Nicaragua between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific ocean. This area is characterized as dry tropical forest where an intense rainy season is followed by extremely dry conditions every year. Rich in biodiversity and a crucial corridor for birds, mammals and amphibians, it has been devastated by extreme deforestation, resulting in habitat destruction and migratory corridor disruption. Tourism is also increasingly affecting beach areas.

“Our forest rangers hike through dense dry tropical forest to monitor sites for signs and sightings of spider monkeys, migratory birds and parrots, amphibians and small mammals. They collect and analyze population data to provide us with baseline information about each species and help us understand how to better protect them from deforestation and climate change.

“The sea turtle rangers are instrumental in protecting the declining sea turtle populations that rely on Nicaragua’s beaches year after year to lay their eggs. They are responsible for patrolling beaches that are prime nesting sites for Olive Ridley, Hawksbill, Leatherback, and Green sea turtles. Turtle egg poaching is a common illegal activity in Nicaragua, and the rangers help to combat against this practice by patrolling the beaches at night when turtles lay their eggs and by implementing our incentive program in which poachers receive money in exchange for the eggs they attempt to steal. Sea turtle rangers also care for nests in Paso Pacífico’s sea turtle hatcheries, where they record the number of eggs that successfully hatch and the baby sea turtles that then make it to sea.

“Having the bikes is so special because all of our rangers live and work in the rural communities of the Paso del Istmo and many of them do not own vehicles or bicycles, causing them to rely on unreliable buses for transportation. The long roads that take them from home to monitoring and patrolling sites are primarily dirt roads that become mud pits in the rainy season and then dry into deep ruts carved out by large trucks and livestock.

“Prior to the P4P bike donations, rangers traveled to monitoring sites on foot, trudging through the mud and dust. Now that they have the new bikes, they can focus their energy on what’s important: Protecting the wildlife of Nicaragua. Thanks to Pedals for Progress, life is easier for the rangers who can now do their jobs more effectively.”

This is the kind of partnership P4P hopes to continue to develop and sustain across the globe. As long as we keep up our efforts and can respond to the growing need internationally for economic and ecologically viable transportation and employment options, we know we are making the right kind of mark on the planet.