Kaoko Bike Work Shop - Opowu, Namibia
April 21, 2010
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.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
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
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
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.
Our First Container Arrives in Opuwo
November 13, 2009
We were hugely excited to get the first photos from Namibia with our first conatiner arriving in Opuwo where it is now being implemented as a Bicycle Empowerent Centre. This bike workshop will support the local Red Cross and the local community provided emplyment, training and economic opportunities. Many of the bikes will be distributed to home based care workers who work at the coal face to the HIV/Aids response in Namibia.
Huge thanks to everyone who made this possible. We’ll keep you posted as the story unfolds.
Empowerment
October 20, 2009
Bicycles for Humanity, Melbourne is currently focused on the collection of disused bikes which are then sent to our partner BEN Namibia. We fill a shipping container with around 400-500 bikes and ship it to Africa.
Once received the container becomes a BEC (Bicycles Empowerment Center). The container is placed in a community in need, windows are cut into it and an extra roof put on to protect from the heat and it becomes a pre-fabricated bike work shop providing skills training, employment and business opportunities to the community.
 |
 |
Stocked with 400-500 bicycles, tools, spare parts and accompanied by comprehensive training in bicycle mechanics, it is designed to empower disadvantaged people and their communities with their own transport and their own means of maintaining it.
BEN Namibia are committed to the on going administration and management of these Empowerment Centres ensuring a sustainable and ongoing benefit that they bring.
The BEN Namibia, Okathitu update on a BEC will give you a great idea of how it works and the benefits derived.
Namibia Visit
Bicycles For Humanity, Melbourne’s Andy Gild recently visited Namibia with her family. Below is her account of the trip, the land and the need for sustainable transport solutions
In January 2009 my husband, Shane, and I were very fortunate to have visited Namibia with our 2 children, Ashlea (12) and Dean (10). We were able to see first hand how one of the biggest challenges facing the communities of this country is transport. Namibia is a vast land, with little villages spread out over huge distances.
On the roads are endless people making their way slowly by foot in extreme heat to collect water, get to their farms or get to school. Some trying to hitch a ride and often carrying heavy buckets or baskets. It was the few bicycles we passed that highlighted the desperate need for much more of this basic form of transport.
One of our main intentions was realised when we met a local family from a village called Okathitu who are behind the very first BEC in Namibia. Hilya and her father, father Lazarus, are wonderful, warm and caring people who are very involved in their local community, helping not only those people affected by AIDS, but also in the local orphanage, helping to feed and educate.
They explained how incredibly important the bicycles are to enable their own volunteers to reach into the community and assist with medical aid and even ambulance-type transport. We were told of how a bicycle donated to a young child enabled her to get to school, which in turn led her on a path to live in the capital city, Windhoek, and continue her studies.
This world is far from ours, in miles and development, but it is a wonderful, peaceful country, steadily making gains towards improving the lifestyles of its people. If you are able to help by donating an old bicycle , you will be changing the lives of individuals, families and even communities.
Andy Gild
B4H E-Cards
October 20, 2009
Buy a gift that gives twice. Ship a bike (or a bike part) to Africa!
Donate to Bicycles for Humanity and download an e-card to send to the recipient of your special gift. Your donation will be used towards sending 400 bikes to BEN Namibia.
Choose your bike part below (from $6.50 to $50.00) and securely donate online. After your donation is processed via paypal, click “return to donations coordinator” to download and send your e-card.
Alternatively, you can also donate to Bicycles for Humanity (Melbourne) by sponsoring some everyday heroes.
 |
 |
| Send a Pedal - $6.50 | Send a Wheel - $12.50 |
 |
 |
| Send a Bike Frame - $20.00 | Send a Whole Bike - $ 50.00 |