Category Archives: bicycles

bicycles, Ghana

The Sponge Man

by Patricia Hamill
Winter 2012 InGear

Opoku is a trader who deals in sponges. A lot of sponges if he is lucky. He reaches his potential customers by travelling around and hawking (calling out) his wares. Before Opoku received his bicycle, a usual day saw him transporting the sponges by hanging them around his shoulders, strapping the rest on his back, and heading off to peddle his goods on foot. Individual dry sponges are relatively light, but hauling large numbers attached to your body is a whole different thing. Then add trying to walk with these crowding your limbs. Covering long distances in a timely fashion and keeping up the energy needed to vociferously attract your buyers is not the most reasonable expectation, but Opoku’s family must be fed and he has made use of what he has at his disposal: his body and voice.

The Sponge Man, Opoku, on his daily route
The Sponge Man, Opoku, on his daily route

While there could be worse options, such as no work at all, there is no reason why Opoku and his family should not have every possible opportunity to make their days more profitable and less exhausting. Our partnership with WEBike in Ghana has given Opoku a chance to cover more ground and reach a wider customer base. He might still be crowded by the sponges, but the bike helps distribute the weight and gets him to his destinations with less exertion. Good health and fitness also replace exhaustion. What is extremely important to keep in mind is that Opoku lives in a very busy and often congested area of Ghana called Accra.

Covering long distances is not an unusual part of the life of many of the people we have spotlighted over the years, but the type of commute is to be considered. Some of the people who now use bikes travel long dusty roads, some travel rocky and treacherous hills, others busy streets. Opoku’s work takes him through large towns and neighborhoods where maneuvering on foot with awkward bulk can become incredibly difficult. Now, any reader can attest to the fact that wheels cover more distance than feet, so, with the bicycle, Opoku has the opportunity to reach so many more customers in this consumer-rich region. All he has needed is a way to cover more ground so he could reach a more inland town like Kaneshie and also reach one more in the direction of the coast like Manprobi. With the bike, he can plan more varied daily routes and make a wider sweep of the map.

bicycles, Ghana

On a Bicycle Built for Two

by Patricia Hamill
Winter 2012 InGear

While many of our readers have seen some fun and funky bikes being ridden by their happy new owners, we thought it was interesting to include this photo of a model that we don’t often see around our own towns. Well, yes, if you live by the seaside, it may not be such a novelty, but tandem bikes are not the norm for certain. This great ride was collected by Henry Hansen and the Vineland Rotary Club. Judging from the group of kids around it, you can probably bet it’s a fun distraction as well as practical vehicle. And it is without a doubt a very practical and necessary acquisition for the adults you see riding it. The photo gives the impression of a serene and possibly rural road, but these people are posing in a location that is anything but isolated. Oshee is a suburb in Accra, Ghana. This heavily populated and extremely busy area is where this couple resides. Their commute to work at Awoshie, also a suburb in Accra, is about a 6 kilometer journey (3.73 miles).

Adu and Yaa on their tandem bicycle
Adu and Yaa on their tandem bicycle

Adu, a carpenter, and Yaa, a trader, have to wake up early and board a bus that will take them from Oshee to Awoshie daily. To the American consciousness, this seems a simple and short commute; but, for Adu and Yaa, this is a time-consuming ordeal. They face competition for the overcrowded buses that then must navigate congested roads filled with the surging waves of workers heading in the same direction. The stress resumes for the return home. Riders have to line up and often wait several hours before a bus arrives with available seats or reasonable standing room. Time spent on line and in traffic is taken away from other more productive endeavors.

Now, with the help from P4P’s partner in Ghana, WEBike, the problem is solved. Adu and Yaa no longer need to wake up at dawn to join the bus or line up at night. The tandem bike that they now own can glide them quickly by the stalled lanes of traffic and into Awoshie and change an interminable and expensive four-mile journey into a managable endeavor on their schedule. An added bonus is that the money they save on the bus commute can be used for other necessities.

The benefits of this option for travel extend beyond the advantages to Adu and Yaa. Two fewer people are dependent on fossil fuels and are not contributing to heavy pollution in the area. Two may be a small number, but as many more people gain access to reliable, cheap, and quick modes of travel, there can only be a benefit to the larger population and environment. If they can effect that change while cruising on a rather unusual set of wheels, even better.

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, Nicaragua

Photos from EcoBici – Nicargua

Juan Santamaria lives in a rural area of Nicaragua. He rides his bicycle every day from the countryside to the city selling firewood
Javier Ruiz and Pedro Reyes are sugar cane Farmers. Each day they ride 15km from their homes to the farms and the market.
Pedro Rodriguez bought this bike 6 years ago so that he could transport his daughter and go to his job as a welder.
Albania, bicycles

Ecovolis: Exemplary Results from Bicycle Recycling


Ecovolis is a bike-sharing system based in Albania’s capital, Tirana. Initiated over two years ago, this program has revolutionized the city’s transportation and circulation scheme. There was a very real necessity to create a solution to the congestion and pollution in the car-filled streets of Tirana, and it is largely due to the donations of bicycles and the great work done by Ecovolis’s strongest partner, Pedals for Progress, that made the program take hold.

Since the first communication with P4P and its president, David Schweidenback, 1,465 bicycles have landed in Albania and they are all currently circulating in its streets. For a country of 3 million people, this is a great first step. Consider the fact that, after a fifty-year communist regime that forbade the personal use of automobiles, the last 20 years saw a surge in ownership of cars. The unfortunate result of this new age of consumption was that Albania became one of the most polluted countries in Europe.

As part of PASS (Programii Alternativave Sociale Stimuluese, Social Stimulating Alternative Programme), which promotes and support environmentally friendly actions, Ecovolis immediately embraced the idea of using recycled bicycles for Tirana’s bike-sharing system rather than purchasing new and potentially costly or unreliable alternatives. This system was presented to its citizens with a strong ecologic and recycling message: “Put used bicycles into good use.” People needed to be conscious of the need to reduce the pollution created by the multitude of cars that circulated in the city streets. P4P was the model we followed.

A great part of the bicycles were transformed and painted in order to become identical and be part of the bike-sharing system. However, hundreds of them were also donated to children’s organizations such as Terre des Hommes or orphanages. American efforts and involvement have created smiles on many Albanian children’s faces. Being so grateful to David and P4P, Ecovolis made a point to notify the staff of the U.S. Embassy in Tirana, who couldn’t but feel proud of the generosity and eco-friendly behavior of the people they represent here in Albania.

All in all, the shipments of those bicycles now seen in the streets of Tirana and Durrës and the sewing machines now used by associations of women in need offer a strong and concrete message to the Albanian people: Recycling and cooperating for good causes are what bring about solutions and unite people of distant nations.

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

Cycling Through Coffee Country

Like most young men, Maximiliano Solorzano started out working in the coffee groves in San Miguel de Dueñas, 20 miles outside of San Andrés, Guatemala. Plantation work is a common occupation in this region that sits in the shadows of the volcano El Fuego and walking to these groves and traveling about this hilly region takes a physical toll on any strong individual. When Don Max was approaching his 20th birthday, an illness that almost took his life permanently took the strength from his legs. Climbing the steep slopes to work for the coffee growers was no longer an option. He still had his nimble hands and the desire to work and be productive so he began to take on basic repair jobs around the area even though these were not initially profitable or consistent.

summer2012guatemalaDonMaxA consignment of bicycles from FIDESMA transformed his small itinerant subsistence into a steady and relevant business. The bicycle sales and repair keep Don Max and his family quite busy. The bikes themselves are a lifeline for the many other people in the area who continue to work in the groves. These days, he buys one dozen or so at a time, coming in  to San Andrés twice during each container sale, looking for the much-prized and quite necessary mountain bikes. During any given day, Don Max may see numbers of clients coming in for more bikes and equipment such as new chains, spokes, and patches for tires. It is no easy feat to climb these hills; they slope so dangerously that one would expect the groves and gardens planted on them to simply slide down into a heap at the bottom. The travel is time-consuming on foot and the roads are nothing more than wide paths lacking maintenance. The road bikes that initially came to Don’s shop almost 27 years ago were still better than no wheels, but the influx of mountain bikes and their all-terrain wheels is what really turned this area into a “bicycle city” and created a demand for more bikes and an opportunity for new businesses to develop.

bicycles, Vietnam

570 Bikes Shipped! Pedals for Progress ships Vietnam #2

Opening up a new program—the potential of making some substantial change for the good—is always very exciting.  Last May we loaded our first container to the Vinh Long Union of Friendship. ViUFO has three branches in the rural delta and other rural areas of south west Vietnam, Vung Liem and Tra On which are in Vinh Long province and Tan Phu which is in Dong Nai province. The program met with great success.

While opening a new program in a new country is exciting, having been successful and now loading the 2nd container is exhilarating.  On June 2, 2012, with the  financial backing of the Dariu Foundation, based in Switzerland,  we are loading our 2nd container for Vietnam. Although Vietnam is almost exactly on the other side of the world,  it actually happens to have the least expensive shipping costs of any of our overseas programs.

The successful entry into Vietnam of our container of bicycles is the accomplishment of the dedicated work of Nguyen Van Hanh of the Dariu Foundation. Hanh waded through a myriad of red tape and regulation to secure the import permits.  And now we are about to do it again!

A giant thank you to all of the donors of bicycles in late May,  your bikes will soon make a long journey to their new home. A similar thank you to all of the collectors,  who took the time to take off the pedals and turn the handle bars so that we have the bikes ready to go.

Dave