For 25 years Joanne (my spouse) and I have part of team of people collecting bikes and sewing machines for developing countries with Pedals for Progress. We have collected about 5,000 bikes and more than 1,000 sewing machines in that time. Today I got to visit where some of those bikes have been sent. Last year some bikes collected in Burlington went to Absolute Bikes in Tirana. We had marked the Vermont bikes with an orange ribbon, so I could tell where they came from. This certainly created a positive connection.
Tirana’s center displays an affluence that would be familiar in any capital city in Europe. Bright and modern storefronts, bike paths, spacious parks, and an attention to what attracts tourists. I walked perhaps a 3 mile radius near the center. There are not a lot of very old buildings, but there are some very modern, edgy architecture that has been constructed in recent years.
I spent the rest of the day walking in Tirana with my brother-in-law Thomas who will be joining me for an organized bike tour to UNESCO cities in Albania during the next 10 days.
Our main visit was to Bunk’Art, an underground bunker in central Tirana that was a very thorough history of police/security forces in Albania, with an emphasis on the security forces of the Hoxha era. The museum was chilling.
My writings in this blog have been very personal. I will try to maintain that tone in the coming days. I personally am not interested in reading about the dynamics between people on a tour.
Follow up email correspondence from second shorter visit:
Conversation with Nina
Nina and Valjon were concerned about the climate and environment. In 2003 they worked with a student group and the Tirana mayor (now prime minister) to do volunteer based clean up. Under communism, ‘volunteer’ work was mandatory, so much of her work was teaching people a new attitude.
They first started working with p4p in 2006. The thinking was that getting children on bikes would help change parents while creating conscious kids. Much of the work supports getting bikes to kids and the poor.
Recent efforts have been getting bikes to women to expand their mobility and view of the world.
The bikes they can use the most are children’s bikes, hybrids and mountain bikes. While there are bike lanes in Tirana, much of Albania still has some pretty rough roads. They liked seeing the bikes collected in Barre and hope they will receive some.
Nina does not work for Absolute Bikes, but has stayed connected. Valjon works here full time.
Twenty-five years ago, a young boy infatuated with mountain biking was reading Dirt Rag magazine and saw an article about how mountain bikes could help health care workers access remote villages in the developing world, enabling them to help more patients quickly and efficiently. His mother had lived in South Africa as a child and traveled to El Salvador throughout her life. He saw a common ground and showed her the piece. Joanne, the mother in question, sat with the thought for a year and found Pedals for Progress and reached out at just the right time.
As fate would have it, Dorsey Hogg, who had served in the Peace Corps in Botswana, had also reached out to Pedals for Progress after hearing about the organization through the Long Island Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. Dorsey wanted to take a shot at running a collection. The problem was the three hundred miles between Vermont and P4P-HQ in New Jersey.
Dave Schweidenback ended up introducing Joanne and Dorsey to each other and the two Vermonters decided to join forces and take on the crazy idea of running a collection in their home state. A bit skeptical, only just finding his stride with his new non-profit, Dave was on board only if the new team would take responsibility for getting the bicycles down to New Jersey.
The two seasoned travelers view time and distance differently than most people and saw this obstacle as a mere speedbump. Through friends, family, significant others, and neighbors they assembled a small team with the common bond of spending time outside of the United States and a desire to continue to help those less fortunate. Some of the first to join included, Matt, who had also served in Botswana, Bob and Paula in Kenya, and Paul in rural Chile; the team tackled the distance between VT and NJ with ease.
First VT collection at Burlington High School, September 1999. Left to right first row: Bob Thompson, Brian Thompson, Matt Hogg, Dorsey Hogg, Unknown, Joanne Headlamp, Paul Demers. Back row: Stephan Demers.
The group came together as the Green Mountain Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (GMRPCV) and held their first collection in 1999 at Burlington High School. The team collected a staggering 138 bikes for their very first collection! With a 26-foot U-Haul rented and ready to go, Matt drove the bicycles to New Jersey with Dorsey following in her car to give him a ride back to Vermont.
Satisfied with their efforts and a job well done, the team decided to do it again! The second year they collected 83 bikes, with Dorsey and Matt making the trip. Year three, after another 114 bikes, Paul took a shot at driving the truck down and then took a train back up to Vermont. Lightning striking three times in a row, they knew they were onto something grand, but the long drives became expensive and tiresome.
During year four, partnering with the Williston/Essex Rotary Club, the distance between VT and NJ suddenly closed. The Rotary Club had a member who handled shipping for IBM. Diligently working her magic, she found someone at FedEx to agree to ship containers at no cost on a space-available basis. The local FedEx office in Vermont has been stalwart in their support ever since, through numerous changes in branch managers and leadership. Just over twenty years later, it has developed into a tradition that has lifted the burden of logistics, while helping hundreds of people every year along the way.
Inside Mary’s barn where refurbish machines are stored during the year
With this key factor in place that offered sustainability to the project, the GMRPCV in Vermont steadily picked up the pace and grew its collection efforts year after year. They have built partnerships with local bike shops participating in bike swaps, held auxiliary collections in smaller areas to maximize their collection efforts, recruited local recycling agencies that provide important financial support, local rotary clubs, student groups, and solid waste groups that all pitch in when they can. The core team has also donated their own time and efforts to fundraising, refurbishing machines, and getting the word out about their collections and our cause through televised news appearances. It goes without saying that the list of volunteers and time spent in 25 years of collections is LONG.
VT team September, 2023
We at Pedals for Progress simply want to say thank you. Thank you to Dorsey, Joanne, and the rest of the team in Vermont that have been helping with our mission for twenty-five years. Knocking it out of the park again, for their 25th Anniversary with P4P, they collected 225 bikes and 127 sewing machines on September 23rd! With this achievement, over the twenty five years of collections, they have collected a staggering 4,900 bikes and 1150 sewing machines that have been shipped around the world. From larger cities like Tirana, Albania, to small villages in rural Togo, these items have drastically changed the lives of thousands of individuals that now have the freedom and mobility to have fair shot at life.
There are hundreds of stories to be told about the team in Vermont. Without fail, there are always a couple interesting stories that come out of each collection. Take for example this small time-capsule that was donated to them this year.
This Singer Featherweight was donated by an unknown individual at this year’s collection. The VT team checks each sewing machine and assesses its condition to help us identify machines that may need to be serviced once they get to New Jersey. Inside this inconspicuous black box there was this note.
Thank you for giving my mother’s sewing machine a new home. She served in the Woman’s Army Corp during WWII, returning home to find herself a single parent with child — me. She went on through the GI Bill to receive a master’s degree in library science in Pittsburgh and returned to Ohio to live with my grandfather and grandmother and older sister. There she oversaw the renewal of the attic into an apartment for us. She worked at the public library and made clothes for me. As time passed and her brother, his wife and three children moved in the house with us and she continued to sew — clothes for me, doll clothes for my cousins as well as costumes for our little play/performances and Halloween! This sewing machine stitched together many wonderful memories and I hope you are able to put it to good use.
We will be doing exactly that, putting this machine to good use by sending it to a partner program abroad. While this story of a sentimental machine that represents a lifetime of stories is specific to one person, the overall sentiment is still a very real theme today. We’ve reported on a multitude of women in situations like this. Whether to people displaced by war, bearing a child alone, or supporting a house full of family members, we aim to provide machines to create change. Machines like this small Singer can provide a financial bedrock through a business endeavor or simply brighten the day of a child wanting a costume. No matter what is being made, our aim is that the result is one of progress and peace.
The Pedals for Progress Mission: To empower sustainable economic development by recycling bicycles and sewing machines from the US and shipping them to motivated people in the developing world.
Our goal is to make bicycles available in areas of the world where they did not exist or are in very short supply. In order to accomplish this goal we have to find overseas partners capable of distributing our bicycles effectively. When you bring a commodity into a marketplace, capitalism is the most effective method of distribution. Yes, we sell or our partners sell every bike sent overseas. Just because you sell something doesn’t mean you have to charge a lot. But the act of selling brings order to the act of distribution. It also brings the funds that help pay to ship the bikes overseas and run the distribution facility. Lastly human nature: people take much better care of things that they pay for.
Our partner overseas needs a storefront, some mechanics, an accountant, sales people, and a manager. By selling our bikes at low cost they can still manage to employ those people and help pay shipping costs. Getting two shipments of bikes per year means that there is always work for the mechanics who need to be available for repairs down the road.
Jana on her way home from school. Photo by her mom, Kristina
There is no way to individually choose who should get a bike and who shouldn’t. That is accomplished through the marketplace. It could be that the poorest of the poor might not make the best use of a bicycle. My focus has always been on working adults and children needing to go to school. In a container of bikes there are usually no two bikes alike. Consumers want to choose among the bicycles because they need the right size, color, type of bike. There is also a great difference in the quality of the bicycles. The most expensive bikes we ship can be sold at higher cost to the working middle class so those funds can be used to subsidize the lesser quality bikes that the poor can afford. Every worker mobilized increases the productivity of society and a rising economic tide does raise all boats.
Pedals for Progress is cash poor, item rich. Unfortunately, we have never been excellent at raising funds, but we excel in raising in-kind value. We collect hundreds of thousands of dollars of sewing machines and bicycles every year and transfer that wealth to the poorest countries of the world. Bikes and sewing machines generate income. So not only have we enriched our customers with the value of the items but each of those items will go on to create more revenue.
Pedals for Progress will enter its 34th year in February. We have survived the economy going up and down, the great recession, the pandemic, and the retirement of the founder. With the brilliant energetic young new leadership of Alan Schultz as President, I am confident that the organization will continue to deliver hundreds of thousands of dollars of material aid overseas annually.
[Editor’s Note: This year we were able to continue to supply P4P Belize with their third container of bikes, an exciting chapter as this shows the new program is finding its stride as a revolving fund program. Belize no.3 was sent on June 3, 2023 that included 428 bikes 20 Sewing machines! Here is an open letter from our friend and partner Derrick Pitts, CEO and Founder of God Cares Outreach.]
Dear Pedals for Progress Team,
I hope this letter finds you well. On behalf of everyone at God Cares Outreach (P4P Belize), I want to express our deepest gratitude for your unwavering support and dedication in sending containers of bicycles. Your generosity has had a profound impact on our organization and the communities we serve.
Derrick Pitts, CEO and Founder of God Cares Outreach
Through your continuous contributions, we have been able to establish and maintain sustainable platforms that have become the cornerstone of our operations. Your donations have enabled us to launch vital programs such as our feeding program, after-school initiatives, mobile medical services, and various humanitarian efforts. These programs have not only transformed lives but have also helped to create a brighter and more promising future for countless individuals.
Your support has also extended beyond the immediate impact of these programs. It has provided us with the financial freedom to expand our team, hiring dedicated individuals who are passionate about implementing and managing our ongoing initiatives. This growth wouldn’t have been possible without your partnership and belief in our mission.
Every bicycle you send represents more than just a mode of transportation; it symbolizes empowerment, opportunity, and hope. Your commitment to our cause has ignited a chain reaction of positive change that resonates far beyond the immediate beneficiaries. Your compassion has truly made a difference in the lives of many.
As we continue our journey, we are deeply honored to have Pedals for Progress by our side, supporting us every step of the way. Your contributions are a testament to the incredible impact that a collaborative spirit and a shared vision can achieve.
Once again, thank you for your continuous support, generosity, and belief in our mission. We look forward to a future filled with more accomplishments, growth, and positive change, all made possible by partners like you.
[Editor’s note: This fall on October 21st 2023, we sent our first shipment to a new program, Absolute Bike Tirana, marking our 18th shipment to the region. Absolute Bike Tirana is a charitable minded bike shop founded by Valjon Pacani and Ervin Sulovari in 2019. I had the pleasure to meet Ervin when I visited Albania in August 2021, where he had spent over fifteen years with our previous partner, Ecovolis. Collaborating with Absolute Bikes Tirana was a no brainer when Valjon reached out about his new endeavor earlier this year.
Beyond the friendly faces, Absolute Bike is a more traditional bike shop, similar to how our partners FIDESMA operate in Guatemala. A brick-and-mortar bike shop has the capacity to make a lot of progress in an area. Having a physical storefront to supply bikes to the community creates a home base for cyclists and everyday commuters. By providing Absolute Bike with a wide range of bicycles, they can sell affordable bikes to individuals in lower income levels and name brand or specialty bikes to those who can afford them around the large city. This is a key P4P pillar as it eases our goal of establishing economic stability with an emphasis on sustainability for years to come. Absolute Bike will receive a range of quality items, enabling them to employ people in their bike shops, supply community members with affordable, environmentally friendly transportation, and also provide themselves with funding for their charitable causes and programs.
We are extremely pleased to resume shipping to Albania after a brief pause. Eastern Europe and the Balkans are under exacerbated economic strain due to world events and increased inflation. We are proud to be able to contribute tools of personal empowerment to the region giving a helping hand to folks in need.
Here is some more background information about Absolute Bike, their youthful energy, and what they aim to achieve.]
History of Absolute Bike Tirana
Absolute Bike Tirana is a program that aims to contribute sustainably to community development. It was established in 2019 by the leader Valjon Pacani and his collaborator Ervin Sulovari, after a 15-year experience in various organizations where they received awards and recognition for their maximum contributions to various social and environmental issues. The main mission is engagement and dedication to this decision-making, working in partnership with people to build a sustainable, healthy, and active community. Its goal is to provide our city with clean air by promoting a healthy and active lifestyle. It is a symbol of hope and also a means to preserve nature, from which our city can benefit.
Absolute Bike Tirana, Aim and Objectives
Absolute Bike Tirana aims to raise awareness and assist the needs of residents seeking access to transportation. It is an effort to increase social, ecological, and economic responsibility. Absolute Bike Tirana aims to promote eco-friendly transportation through bicycles, providing our city with cleaner air and adopting a civil and European practice. We believe in community-based programs, where the Foundation collaborates with local people to improve lives. By keeping the programs small and manageable, we monitor expenses in detail and ensure that funds are focused on priority needs.
Absolute Bike Tirana aims to address the transportation needs of rural and urban communities, enhancing societal awareness, responsibility, and environmental concerns. Specifically, Absolute Bike Tirana’s mission is to establish a community-based and community-supported economically sustainable model that provides quality consumer-oriented transportation services, catering to both urban and rural residents.
In the urban context, bike lanes can offer numerous benefits to the community. More and more cities are seeking ways to reduce overpopulation while also improving the environment, turning to bicycles. This means that vehicles and pedestrians won’t have to speculate on how cyclists will navigate roads or sidewalks. Absolute Bike Tirana’s bicycles provide access from the city’s outskirts to the urban center for those at risk of social and economic isolation.
Key Success Factors / Strengths:
The initiative heavily relies on volunteers, strengthening the community aspect of Absolute Bike Tirana.
It also employs financially disadvantaged individuals, contributing to social inclusion and economic support.
Activities Developed so Far
Students with their Student Cards
In 2021, Absolute Bike Tirana collaborated with the Municipality of Tirana and the National Youth Agency to create a partnership and became part of the Student Card initiative. The goal of the Student Card is to ease the economic burden on students in relation to their high expenses. For every individual who enjoys student status and is equipped with a student card, they receive a 10% discount on all the services offered by Absolute Bike Tirana. Our focus is on students, who inspire us every day with their participation in our store. The trust they have in us motivates us to continuously strive for even better things.
Happy 10-year-old with his new bike
During the “Donate a Bike” campaign in collaboration with the Municipality of Tirana, we had the opportunity to donate a bicycle to a very positive 10-year-old boy who was suffering from a severe illness called hemiparesis, affecting the left side of his body. The bicycle was the only thing that kept him moving and helped him in his fight. Due to financial constraints, he couldn’t afford to buy one. Absolute Bike Tirana, along with its volunteers, made the donation of the bicycle possible, making him happier and giving us hope and motivation for many other cases.
Berti getting his bike
During the “Donate a Bike” campaign, Absolute Bike Tirana continued its mission by joining the initiative to show solidarity with more citizens. The individual we chose to assist was an exemplary citizen around 60 years old. Berti used to cycle over 10 kilometers every day to get to work. The house where he lived was in a peripheral area with no public transportation. Alongside our volunteer Ervin, we engaged and selected a comfortable bicycle suitable for his age, making his work easier and bringing a smile to his face.
Osmani getting a bike
During the “Donate a Bike” campaign, the citizen we chose to continue our initiative with was Osmani, a 20-year-old young man who was very well-educated. Osmani was continuing his studies, but difficult economic conditions forced him to work in his free time at a supermarket as a shelf organizer. His family was not in good health and economic circumstances to provide for the needs a child of his age proved to be difficult. Osmani tearfully told us the story of his life and the genetic condition he inherited from his mother, called ‘middle ear,’ making it difficult for him to travel to work as the house was somewhat far away. We listened attentively and did not hesitate to help. We gifted him a comfortable bicycle and also offered free servicing for any repairs the bicycle might need. After a few weeks, Osmani visited our store and seemed very happy. He explained how much we had eased his work and shortened the distance from home to work, but also made his journey to school easier since he commuted by bicycle every day.
Osmani was asking us about how we operate, and his great desire was to join us as a volunteer and contribute to our activities, making other people happy as well. This was certainly our wish too, as we gained a new young activist, motivating us even more for the work we do.
Exploringwithgysi group ready to ride
Absolute Bike Tirana, in collaboration with the youth of the “Exploringwithgysi” association, organized a one-day action where we participated in their adventures towards breathtaking destinations, creating unforgettable memories. We are in love with nature and its beauties, and without a doubt, we chose to be part of this organization by providing 20 bicycles for all the present activists at no cost.
Exploringwithgysi in the mountains
The aim of this activity was to explore “Lake of Bovilla” by visiting the main attractions of rural Tirana. Undoubtedly, the main objective of the Absolute Bike Tirana team and the activists was to raise awareness and participate in a cleaning campaign where people come together and organize for a cleaner and more responsible community.
Anyone who shirks responsibility by polluting, allowing pollution, or not reacting, doesn’t gain but loses! We all have the right to live in a healthy environment, but we must cooperate for this. We showed that we lack neither desire, nor will, nor energy to clean it, to protect it, and to develop our city!
Exploringwithgysi group and cows
Last but not least, here is a one-minute 50-second video of what happened to 3 bikes from Absolute Bike Tirana.
In the spring of 2022, Pedals for Progress embarked on an exciting partnership with P4P Belize, marking our most recent destination in Central America. We have now made three shipments to P4P Belize and feel that the program has found its stride and will be in a comfortable position to continue the revolving fund system we aim to achieve with our partners. Finding partnerships that can maintain consecutive shipments creates sustainable projects that will make a deeper impact in the communities they serve.
To solidify our connection with the new program in Belize, I had the privilege of visiting the country and meeting Derrick Pitts, the CEO and executive director of P4P Belize, also known as God Cares Outreach within the country. I encourage you to read our previous posts on their programs. While I was visiting, I was able to get a better sense of their operation and their remarkable goals.
P4P Belize is a community outreach organization situated in South Side Belize City, focusing on empowering their neighbors and helping them overcome poverty. Located away from the tourist areas in the north, South Side Belize City faces numerous challenges on multiple fronts.
Leading up to my trip, I was doing research of what to expect in Belize and one recurring piece of advice was to avoid South Side Belize City due to higher crime rates resulting from extreme poverty and other factors.
However, South Side Belize City holds a special significance for Derrick, as it is where he grew up and spent most of his life. It is home to him. While I was working on some bikes, cleaning and reassembling them in preparation for sale, Derrick asked me how it felt to be in the most dangerous part of the city. I replied that I felt perfectly safe. Thanks to Derrick’s assistance and hospitality, I was given the opportunity to explore this overlooked area of the country and meet the people who call it home.
Through our revolving fund system, Derrick can recoup the costs of shipping by selling the items that we send him. Going around the city, we visited the local bike shops that sell Chinese-made bicycles that one would typically find in big box stores in the United States. Brand new bicycles in these shops sell for $200 to $500 in Belize. There are also high-end stores where bikes from brands like Specialized, Giant, Trek, and others are sold for $1,000 to $5,000. With the bikes we send, Derrick can comfortably compete with these stores, offering the community quality bikes for less.
The impact of this partnership is significant. By offering affordable and reliable transportation options, we are not only improving the lives of individuals but also creating economic development in communities like South Side Belize City. Together, we are breaking barriers and creating opportunities for those who need it most.
P4P Belize has several community outreach programs aimed at aiding people throughout Belize City and other parts of the country. Part 2 of this report describes these programs and illustrate how P4P Belize goes beyond distributing bicycles in their community.
Over the past 10 years, many young people have entered the sport of cycling from different places in Guatemala because of our bicycles. They began training on local roads, and over time they were encouraged to participate in competitions. These included different categories, for both men and women, using different types of bicycles. Our quality bikes enabled these young people to compete in events all over Guatemala.
In 2022 the Guatemalan National Cycling Competition passed through our home town of San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango. One of the cyclists from the Guatemalan national team is from Itzapa. The bicycle is a symbol of sport, of competition, and of teamwork. It is of great benefit to the children and youth of our towns.
Bicycles in Schools
Also for more than 10 years we have delivered bicycles to teachers in different communities in Chimaltenango, where children win bicycles by holding a raffle or a competition. Many children who have won bicycles use them to go to school, to run family errands, or just to play sports.
Bicycles for Transportation
Many men and women have bought bicycles from our FIDESMA ECOLOBICI bike shop. The bikes are used by women who take their market goods home, by young people who go to work in the urban area of Chimaltenango, and by men who use their bikes to commute to the farms and factories where they work. Using bicycles for transportation saves money they would otherwise spend on bus fares.
Sewing Machines
Sewing machines have always been a very important contribution from Pedals for Progress / Sewing Peace. Each year more than 20 women have benefited from a sewing machine. Women use their sewing machines mainly in their clothing stores. They repair clothing for other people, they make new garments for sale, and they repair clothing for their own families.
Our Resellers
Because of the pandemic, people from around the country were looking for new business opportunities. In parts of Guatemala that we do not get to, some of these people decided to become resellers of our bicycles. They buy loads of our bikes and resell them in their communities for a profit.
[Editor’s note: Our longest-running partnership is with FIDESMA, in Guatemala, where we’ve shipped more than 12,000 bikes since 1999. Their most recent container arrived in December 2021: Guatemala #22. Below is an update on their ongoing projects.]
Social Projects, 2019 to 2022
Support for the Disabled: wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, and orthopedic beds.
Job Training: courses in baking, textiles, crafts, Guatemalan and international cuisine.
Women’s Support Groups: citizen participation workshops, rights of women, and care of the family and children.
Education and Schools: donation of computers, improvement of preschool and primary-school classrooms.
Environmental Education: Community and school programs on garbage management, pollution, and drinking water.
Bicycle Project: Ecolobici-FIDESMA: We are hoping to move our bicycle project to a new location that is larger than our current space and more accessible to our customers who come from other regions of Guatemala. We are looking for a place near the main Inter-American highway, a plot of land larger than our current location. The new complex would house our bicycle shop, repair shop, and storage for spare parts and accessories. It would include a parking lot. And it would include a store that sells groceries and other everyday necessities.
All these projects are due to the support of national and international institutions such as Pedals for Progress, and to the profits we earn in the FIDESMA bicycle project, Ecolobici.
I am Catherine. My two colleagues in the photos are Akouwavi and Améyo. We are apprentice seamstresses and we are part of a program that our promoter calls Youth Socioeconomic Empowerment, a program that pays the costs of the training contracts and then, at the end of our apprenticeship, provides us with sewing machines to allow us to open our own workshops. A few weeks ago, we received our machines and are already working. It is a great joy to see these photos of ourselves.
Akouwavi
With these sewing machines, we will work and save money, take care of ourselves, take care of our families and send our children to school. We have finally reached the end of our training and here we are with our sewing machines as promised. These machines are essential tools for our small businesses. All this is possible thanks to the support of the DRVR-TOGO and its partner Pedals for Progress / Sewing Peace. It is because of you, the donors, that our dreams have become realities.
Améyo
We are appealing to all P4P loyal partners and donors: Used sewing machines, bikes, and other tools as far as the eye can see are left in your garages, basements, stores, and offices. Donating them to P4P will help people and save lives in communities thousands of miles away from you on the other side of the world. Many thanks to you, David, and all your tireless P4P team for your dedication to social causes.
Essenam
I am Essenam. I am an apprentice seamstress. I would like through this little note to express my gratitude to DRVR-TOGO, Pedals for Progress, and all their partners and donors who contribute from near and far to help support vulnerable populations all over the world and as well as our communities here in Togo. I have not been to school like many young girls of my age have, so I decided to learn a trade, and the choice fell on sewing, a trade of my dreams since childhood.
Before the DRVR-TOGO bicycle program, I had to leave the house very early in the morning. I would arrive at the workshop late and tired, and then come back late at night, when travel is risky.
With this nice bike in the photo, I now arrive on time at the workshop to continue my learning with a lot of determination. Words fail me and all my family to thank the American donors to the P4P organization. Once again thank you for everything. Through my voice, I appeal to P4P and its partners to continue this program again and again to help other people in different areas of need.
Emefa
My name is Emefa and I am 14 years old. I am a student in the first-year class in high school. For the 2020–2021 school year, officials from DRVR-TOGO came to our establishment with a program to cover tuition fees and supplies and support to promote the education of orphaned and vulnerable children, especially young girls. I was the first in my class for the end-of-year exam. To continue my study in high school, I have to travel impossible kilometers to go to my classes, because there is no college in my village. You have to go to the town next door instead. With this bike from DRVR-TOGO and P4P, I could not hide my joy and that of my entourage. We sincerely thank you. My wish is that this program continues so that other students can benefit from it.
Afiwa
My name is Ania and I am a widow with two children: Afiwa is ten years old and Komlan is six. I sell boiled meat on the side of the road in my neighborhood to feed and take care of my children and especially to send them to school. Every morning I have to leave my activity and bring my children to school and pick them up in the evening at sunset.
Komlan
Some time ago a client told me about a DRVR-TOGO bicycle program and a child who had already benefited. I went to inquire about the program, and to my great surprise my two children got their own bikes. Now they leave the house every morning and came back in the evening after class without difficulty.
My two children and I say thank you to you the donors, to P4P, its president, David, and all his staff. We also offer a big thank-you to DRVR-TOGO here with us in our community.
Donate bicycles and sewing machines to developing countries
For 25 years Joanne (my spouse) and I have part of team of people collecting bikes and sewing machines for developing countries with Pedals for Progress. We have collected about 5,000 bikes and more than 1,000 sewing machines in that time. Today I got to visit where some of those bikes have been sent. Last year some bikes collected in Burlington went to Absolute Bikes in Tirana. We had marked the Vermont bikes with an orange ribbon, so I could tell where they came from. This certainly created a positive connection.
Nina and Valjon were concerned about the climate and environment. In 2003 they worked with a student group and the Tirana mayor (now prime minister) to do volunteer based clean up. Under communism, ‘volunteer’ work was mandatory, so much of her work was teaching people a new attitude.
