Giving your old bicycle a new life

Bicycles can make a difference to women who need transportation in far-flung rural towns in Africa.

That's why a nonprofit of professional women is making Bicycles for Humanity (B4H) Colorado the beneficiary of its fund-raising efforts this year.

Boulder, Colorado-based BoldeReach supports organizations that aid women and children in need around the world. B4H meets this mission for women by providing bicycles for transportation and employment in its community-based bike shops in Namibia.

Says B4H Colorado president Joshua Price:

“For people living on $2 per day, a bicycle is far beyond their reach which means they lack transportation to access healthcare, economic and educational opportunities. We are particularly focused on opening up more opportunities for women by giving them much needed transportation and a way in which they can help provide a better life for their families.”

B4H, as well as other bike donation sites, are always looking for monetary donations to get the bicycles to Africa. Last year, BoldeReach raised nearly $100,000 for the Global Education Fund.

Although most of the bicycles are donated to B4H, it costs $13,000 to $15,000 to buy and transport the shipping container to Africa. Those containers then can become the bicycle shop in the community.  

B4H Colorado is just one chapter for Bicycles for Humanity, which has chapters throughout the US, Canada, Australia and the Netherlands. US chapters in the West include Seattle, Portland, Santa Rosa and Silicon Valley.

Many other nonprofits are sending second-hand bicycles to developing nations to provide transportation and small business opportunities for people living there.

Check “Where to Donate Your Old Bicycles” to learn about such groups as Bike not Bombs, Pedals for Progress and Bikes for the World.