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Container Loading to Rwanda [4/11/2024 to 4/13/2024]
April 11 - April 13
Bikes Not Bombs is scheduled to ship a container of bicycles and parts to our partner Learn, Work, Develop in Rwanda Thursday April 11th through Saturday April 13th and we need your help!
Join us on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at our warehouse in Dorchester (10 Harvard Street in Dorchester, MA 02124) to help us with this extremely important work. Volunteer roles will consist of stripping bikes, sorting parts, inventory tracking and counting, and much more. Bikes Not Bombs staff will be present to guide and direct volunteers. More information can be found below. Sign up here to volunteer!
Typical scene at a container loading, as volunteers help load bikes into the shipping container
Location: The Bikes Not Bombs warehouse at 10 Harvard Street in Dorchester, MA 02124.
Date and Times: Thursday April 11th through Saturday April 13th, during any of the following times:
- 9 AM to 12:30 PM
- 12:30 PM to 4 PM
We welcome all people to help for any amount of time, and volunteers may register for as many shifts as they are available.
What to Expect: Volunteers will arrive and be assigned certain roles or to perform specific tasks. You will be lifting bicycles throughout the day. We advise you wear closed-toed shoes and clothing you are not worried about getting dirty. Dress warmly (preferably in layers) as work will be performed outside and the warehouse does not have heat. Bring your own work gloves if you have them. Food will be provided for volunteers!
Volunteers at a bike mechanic training session at LWD
Who are we shipping the bikes to? Learn, Work, Develop (LWD)
Learn, Work, Develop (LWD) is a nongovernmental organization founded on November 5th, 2013 and operating in Rwanda. LWD’s mission is to promote effective work and sustainable employment for youth and women. Over the decade since its founding, LWD has established a number of educational and vocational training programs for local youth, with the goal of connecting them to sustainable job opportunities.
In October, 2018 LWD initiated their bicycle social enterprise in partnership with Bikes Not Bombs, an initiative called Support Safe Rides in Africa (SSARAF). SSARAF provides internships and vocational training to local youth. LWD imports, repairs, and sells used bicycles (such as the ones BNB ships to them) with the intention of addressing social issues in their community. The young people involved with this program participate in the various stages of this process and gain valuable experience. Additional goals of this program are as follows:
- Increase access to bikes as an affordable form of transportation for Rwandans, especially women and girls
- Create a sustainable enterprise which generates income, provides jobs, and supports other social projects
- Organize community-based cycling events to raise awareness about the rights of youth, including in particular sexual and reproductive health and rights with the goal of reducing rates of both pregnancy and early marriage among teenage girls
We are looking forward to seeing how our reclaimed used bikes continue to make a difference in the lives of girls and other youth in Rwanda’s Kayonza district!