World Bicycle Relief

 

For many people in the developing world, walking is their primary mode of transportation. Add the challenge of distance and seemingly simple tasks become difficult and sometimes impossible. With no choice but to walk, meeting everyday needs is a struggle against time and fatigue. When you provide a bicycle, people are empowered with the opportunity to make choices. Over time, bicycles enrich the lives of children, households and entire communities.

World Bicycle Relief (WBR) builds and distributes specially-designed, locally assembled, rugged bicycles. With the experience and expertise gained over the last 13 years, WBR has developed an efficient, innovative and scalable model to successfully address the need for reliable, affordable transportation in rural areas of developing countries. Their Buffalo Bicycles not only help people survive, they help them thrive.

 

Who Are World Bicycle Relief?

World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit organization dedicated to making the world a better place through cycling and giving the gift of two-wheeled travel to hundreds of thousands of people all around the world. Founded in 2005 by F.K Day and Leah Missbach Day following the devastation wreaked by the Indian Ocean tsunami of the previous year. The pair set about collecting, repairing and donating old bicycles to victims of the tsunami, in the hopes that it would bring at least some joy to an entire country in such grief. They were right. It wasn’t long before they were supplying tens of thousands of bicycles to different people for different causes and repairing broken communities through two-wheeled travel.

Why Are We Partnering With World Bicycle Relief?

Because we believe in the power of bicycles, the freedom it provides and how efficient a mode of transport it can be. As children our formative years are often spent on a bicycle. The first time children realise that the world is bigger than the street they live on, is after they’ve learned how to ride a bike. For communities like the ones WBR is supporting, the distance to school can be a 1 ½ to 2 hour walk. Drop outs are frequent due to distance and fatigue but with a bicycle attendance goes up by 28% and academic performance by 59%.

For the month of May, Bicycles Online is committing ten percent of our profits to this venture, with the hopes of raising as much money as possible! So, whenever you purchase something from our store, you’re not just getting cool new bike stuff, you’re helping people in need and spreading the love of life on two wheels to more people all around the world.

Want to know know how to support World Bicycle Relief directly?

Besides contributing to the World Bicycle Relief by purchasing something at Bicycles Online this May, you can also donate directly to the cause at the World Bicycle Relief website at this link.