THE organisation Fahrrader für Afrika e.V. (Bicycles for Africa) was founded at the beginning of this year with the aim of collecting used bicycles, tools and spare parts in Germany and sending them to Africa.

The first container that landed in Namibia contained 450 bicycles and many spare parts destined for Mariental.

 

http://b4hhuron.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/dsc_0102b1.jpgThe container was modified into a bicycle workshop from which local people sell, rent and repair bicycles.

 

The people are also trained as bicycle mechanics. Through this the local people are able to earn an income, some of which benefits orphans, soup kitchens and schools.

 

Partners of this project are BEN Namibia (Bicycle Empowerment Network) and Catholic Aids Action, whose expertise is used to put the container at the right place. BEN has been bringing bicycles to Namibia and training people as bicycle mechanics since 2004.

 

Johannes Wolf founded Fahrrader für Afrika after having worked for BEN as volunteer and currently the organisation has eight collection points across Germany. Most bicycles that are collected are still in a very good condition.

"Many of the bicycles are from children who outgrew them, or old people who do not cycle anymore or from bike enthusiasts who bought another bicycle," says Wolf.

 

"People tend to look after their bicycles better once they had to pay for it," he says. And the money made from the sale and repair of a bike goes towards the people working at the container.

 

The organisation wants to expand and send bicycles to Uganda, Nigeria and South Africa in the future.

 

"Bicycles are a healthy, affordable and eco-friendly way of getting around," says Wolf.

 

"Especially in rural Namibia where not everyone has access to a car or public transport."

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