ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Nobody can reduce the weight Rwandans must move to further develop their country and livelihoods, but can at least help them carry it more easily.

Rwanda is on the move, but slowly. Most Rwandans travel by foot – sometimes for hours – to attend school, reach the nearest market, or get medical attention. They walk from sunup to sundown to transport supplies along goat paths, fields, and busy roads.

Our mission at Beyond A Bike is to partner with Rwandan communities and provide bikes to people so they can travel further and transport more – thus transforming their futures. These bikes are cargo bikes with upgraded racks, which allow the rider to haul a variety of goods or a passenger. All bikes come with a cable lock to secure the bike when not in use.

We have seen how mobilizing Rwandans with donated bicycles can practically improve resource capacity, increase access to education, employment, and healthcare, and contribute to economic growth.

¨I was able to live, experience and interact with the Rwandan people and their culture.

They were all very kind, gracious and respectful toward us. I have shed many tears of compassion, longing and tenderness for the people we met there, people we worked side by side with and the Rwanda people as a whole,¨ Beyond A Bike Executive Director Laurie Thomas said.

With donated bicycles, farmers can carry more bananas, chickens, or stalks of sugarcane to the market. Bringing more produce to sell in the market can increase Rwandans´ revenue and economic stability. Bakers, craftsmen, and other businesses can also expand with delivery services to earn more money, which is often spent on nutritious food and school fees for their families. Whether it´s a passenger, jerricans of water, or even a mattress, bikes are a far more time-and-energy efficient mode of transportation.

Bicycles also mean greater responsibility and independence for many Rwandans. Instead of paying or relying on someone else, parents with bikes can take their children to school, run errands, and still get home with time for growing food and domestic chores. They might also use the extra time to contribute to the local economy by delivering goods, and much more business can be accomplished when transport is quicker. Teachers, technicians, and professionals alike can get to work on time and home before dark when they have a bike.

That was what happened when Beyond A Bike presented a donation to Niyongira Aphrodis, a 47-year-old father of three. Aphrodis is a security guard at Bright School, and he said the bike will help him arrive at work on time more consistently now and help provide a safe place for students. ¨I used to walk seven kilometers [approximately five miles] on foot to and from school daily. This bike is a blessing to me and will dramatically shorten the time it takes to get to school,¨ Aphrodis said. ¨This is really a huge boost to my family.¨

Bicycles improve health outcomes across the country as well. Especially in remote areas, clinics may be hours away. Imagine feeling ill and having to walk hours to get treated for malaria, typhoid, or parasites. A better outcome for patients is possible through donated bicycles. Twenty-four-year-old Niyomukesha Valentine and her husband Byiringiro Patrick were expecting their first child when they received a donation from Beyond A Bike. Patrick was emotional when he talked about how the bike would help their new family. ¨Up to now it has not been easy to get what we need. But now our family life is going to change completely, this bike will help me … to supply our needs,” he said.

Beyond A Bike increases access to resources for Rwandan entrepreneurs and partners with local bike shops to buy and fix our donated bicycles, which helps boost the local economy and our connection with the community. A donation of $250 helps us gift one bike, which on average impacts five families. Support of $500 helps us gift two bikes, which we have seen an average of 1 in the 10 families affected by this gift start a new small business. For $1,000 and four bikes, up to 20 families and possibly two small businesses can see their lives improved on a daily basis.

Bicycles are fun to ride, but for so many people in this world they can substantially change the lives of an entire community. In Rwanda, housing is often far away from schools and markets. Imagine…a single mom being able to transport her young children to and from school on a bicycle instead of having to walk for hours to make sure they have an opportunity to learn. Or a neighbor being able to help a friend in need of a ride to get some water. To these people, a bicycle is a means of hope for a better life.

But Beyond A Bike doesn’t want to stop there! Our God-sized plan is to spread the word and the love of Jesus. A Holy Bible in Kinyarwanda (their native language) is also given with each bike. These printed materials can easily be shared with family, friends, and neighbors, helping spread Jesus’s message of love, acceptance, forgiveness, and hope.

This simple tool is an incredible blessing to those for whom the gift is given. They often share their bicycles with others and many Rwandans are much better off because of your donations. Because of bicycles, communities are impacted, people are empowered and lives are transformed.