Ride Through Italy and Help Us Out

Austin-Lehman Adventures is pleased to partner with Bicycles-for-Humanity and all its chapters in sponsoring a unique way to pay-it-forward this fall.

Cyclists from around the world can sign up for a seven day pedal tour of the Tuscany region of Italy. Proceeds from this trip will help fund the establishment of a bike shop and cycling center in a remote African village in the far eastern corner of Namibia. Austin-Lehman has earmarked $1,000 per booking for this trip to go directly to the new bike shop and cycling center in Namibia. To read more about the partnership between ALA and B4H and to view more about the sustainability of this project, please read our news release.

Kaoko Bike Work Shop - Opowu, Namibia

Our first container of bikes left for Namibia in June 2009. It is now an  extremely successful bike work shop in the town of Opowu in northern Namibia. Implemented by BEN Nambia as a Bicycle Empowerement Centre the workshop has provided much of the local community with bikes which have changed their day to day lives.  The income from the workshop is supporting the orphan program run by Red Cross.

The container has now been modified - given an extra roof, doors and a concrete pad outside. Local particpants are trained as bike mechanics and also educated in business and entrepeneurial skills. The BEC is established as a self sustaining business that can contuinue to benefit the community well into the future. The Kaoko BEC has been a successful venture from its launch. It provides vital services and bikes to the local community and employs 4 mechanics who’s lives have been completely changed by their involvement in the project. Meet The Team below.

Rauna 38 y.o., 1 year old child. Her allowance as a Red Cross volunteer was N$200 per month, she now earns N$700 per month. Rauna has already bought a bicycle for her child, and the main difference the extra income makes for her is being able to buy more food each month.

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Michael 26 y.o., main guardian for his niece, was working as a pastor before the BEC and earning a variable amount, averaging around what he earns through the BEC, but was travelling 2-3 weeks per month, and as guardian of his niece was not able to provide her enough attention. Now earns N$700 per month. Michael having a more structured work and family life

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Johannes 22 y.o., no kids, was working as a casual shelf stacker at a local supermarket, earning N$90 per shift, sometimes only getting 3 or 4 shifts per month. Now earns N$700. Johannes describes his life before the project as an endless struggle, in which he frequently had to borrow money to pay his rent and buy food, and is glad he no longer has to do this.

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Simpson 20 y.o., no kids. Was not working previously, now earns N$400 per month as the apprentice mechanic (Simpson did not participate in BEN Namibia’s training). Simpson has only completed grade 8, and as such his employment prospects were bleak, but his passion for bicycle repair won him a place on the team.

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And some of their customers..
Ricardo Rodriques: Says his very good quality. Ricardo lives on his family’s farm outside Opuwo, and uses the bike for shopping trips and to visit friends and family, for which he used to walk long distances. He thinks the BEC is a good project because it is providing transport in Opuwo. His younger brother and sister also use his bike.

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Samuel Shiwetha: This is the first he has ever owned(an ex-Great Victorian Bike Ride bike). He uses it to ride to his job as a car mechanic at Namwater, to which he used to walk an hour each day. He also visits friends and family in surrounding villages.

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Knog Bags-a-rama

Along with the 410 bikes and 3 computers Knog ( our brilliant sponsor) provided hundreds of bike bags and panniers.  Many of these were given to the kids at the orpanage and others were sold with the proceeds going to the same orpanage.