International
Pedaling for Peace and Development

Bikes Not Bombs has sent over 40,000 bikes to Central America, the Caribbean and Africa (and New Orleans) in the last 25 years. We do more than just speak about the social and environmental costs of increasing global motorization - we provide technical and material resources for transportation alternatives.

International Involvement

Ghana

• BNB, working with Emmanuel’s Education Foundation and Sports Academy for the Physically Challenged (EEFSA) will establish a bicycle workshop for “disabled” people in the city of Koforidua. We sent our first container of aid on 4/26/08 with the tools, parts and bikes necessary for the establishment of the workshop. BNB's current International Programs Director, David Branigan, trained the mechanics and help set-up the workshop during the first 8 months. (See his blog at http://bikesnotbombs-eefsa.blogspot.com/)

Ability Bikes Cooperative from David Branigan on Vimeo.

• The Village Bicycle Project, (VBP) a non-profit based in the USA, is the largest receiver and distributor of BNB bikes. VBP is working with two Ghanaian businesses to bring the bikes though customs and to distribute them. The Ghanaian companies provide workshops wherein 20 participants at a time take a day-long training on bike maintenance and are then eligible to purchase a bicycle for half the market rate for used bikes. The two Ghanaian companies also sell a portion of each shipment to local small bicycle micro-enterprises. In essence VBP and their Ghanaian counterparts have established a wholesale distributor network for used bikes and parts, a critical link in the transportation nexus for Ghana’s growing number of working poor cyclists. VBP also ships low cost specialty bicycle tools to support the growing structure of small bike businesses and do-it-your-selfers. BNB trained bike technician, Emily Lin, has worked with the VBP to establish three Earn-a-Bike programs in 3 Ghanaian communities. Visit VBP’s web site, www.VillageBicycleProject.org for more info.

See a 10-minute documentary about the Village Bicycle Project at http://current.com/watch/2753186. This film was made in 2006, and follows the loading of a bicycle shipment at Bikes Not Bombs (our old location) and the opening of the shipment in Ghana, with lots of great local footage to give you an inside look at the work in Ghana.




Tanzania
BNB began supporting the Global Alliance for Africa’s Vijana Center, located in Arusha, Tanzania, with a container shipment of 441 bikes on April 14, 2008. The Vijana Center is a vocational training project that serves up to 200 students at a time. Language courses in English, French and Spanish are offered, as well as computer skills, secretarial skills, welding and bike mechanics. 90 % of the center’s budget is derived from the sale of used bikes assembled at the Center. BNB continues to send shipments to the Vijana Center.

South Africa
• BNB has sent 1,461 bikes, as well as parts, tools, a 40’ container and two technicians to the Diepsloot Youth Cycles Project (DYCP) in South Africa. Diepsloot, a South African settlement city, has the first Earn-a-Bike program in South Africa and a bicycle micro-enterprise as well. The project was founded with the supervision of Global Communities Initiatives, BNB and DYCP. BNB provided 2 trainers, Alex Twombly and Omar Bhimji to establish the project in 2005.

Central America
BNB has sent bicycles and technical assistance to Maya Pedal, an indigenous organization in Guatemala. Maya Pedal (MP) manufactures and distributes pedal-powered machines that shell and grind grain, power rope-pumps for well water extraction, depulp coffee and spin fruit blenders. MP also now runs a bicycle shop to help support its work in building pedal-powered technologies. BNB has sent over 17,000 bicycles to other projects in Central America, supporting programs in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua.

Nevis
We loaded up our first shipment of donated bikes on the weekend of January 13, 2007 and are flew BNB staff member Matt Soycher to start youth Earn-A-Bike programs on the island of Nevis in the Caribbean. Now the program is building up years of experience, and BNB continues to send support.

Matt Soycher built on his 2 years of experience at BNB, and spent 2.5 months training local teachers to run this program on the model of BNB's youth Earn-A-Bike program. Teens in BNB's Boston youth programs have connected with Nevis youth through pen pal relationships, a blog, and even an evening webcast!