“To empower sustainable economic development by recycling bicycles and sewing machines from the U.S. and shipping them to motivated people in the developing world.”

The simple solution for the complicated planet

We rescue bicycles destined for overburdened U.S. landfills and ship them to developing countries where they are sorely needed and highly valued. P4P bikes are put to work not only as basic transportation, but are used as a supplement to school and community programs. The bikes are adapted for use as trash haulers, produce trucks, taxis, and farm machinery. Some of the municipalities even sponsor recreational cycling programs, making bikes available to all who care to participate.

When we can establish a program with an overseas partner, the bicycles take on an even greater significance – to keep the bikes working, maintenance is necessary. Children and adults are trained in bicycle maintenance and repair, and the bicycles are sold within the community, fostering the development of a local economy. If a person would like to have a bicycle but cannot pay for it, that person has to work for the shop (and learn a new skill) in order to cover the cost of the bicycle.

P4P also arranges for the bicycle shops to have a supply of tools, parts, accessories, and lubricants for maintaining the bikes. With Pedals for Progress, a bicycle becomes a valuable commodity for trade, employment, transportation, local government – the list goes on. In the countries where P4P has an established Partner Program, the most successful entrepreneurs are the ones who use bicycles to get to work and deliver the goods and services where they are needed most, allowing them to expand their businesses and increase their personal incomes. Medical personnel in remote areas rely on the bicycle to get them to villages not accessible by roads. Without these “mobile bike medics”, people in these villages would not get the vaccines or medical attention most of us often take for granted.