Founded by SRAM Corporation and Trek Bicycles in 2005 and supported by leaders in the bicycle industry, World Bicycle Relief specializes in large-scale, comprehensive bicycle programs by providing supply chain management, technical knowledge and logistics expertise to poverty relief and disaster recovery initiatives.

MISSION:
World Bicycle Relief is dedicated to providing access to independence and livelihood through the power of bicycles.

Compared to walking, bicycles represent an enormous leap in productivity and access to healthcare, education and economic development opportunities. The simple, sustainable nature of bicycles empowers individuals, their families and their communities.

We accomplish our mission by:

• Working with suppliers to improve bicycle design while ensuring all changes are culturally appropriate
• Enhancing distribution with local sourcing, manufacturing or assembly as much as possible
• Partnering with existing NGO, government and community based organizations
• Training mechanics in maintenance and repair while strengthening the existing supply of spare parts
• Measuring and evaluating the impact of bicycles and communicating the results to improve programs and increase awareness

PAST PROJECTS

Project Tsunami
We worked with World Vision to provide 24,400 bicycles to people in Sri Lanka in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. As part of its commitment, World Bicycle Relief retained an independent organization to measure the impact of Project Tsunami two years after distribution; the results were outstanding:

• 88% of recipients continued to depend on bicycles for livelihood activities
• Bicycles saved households up to 30% of annual income for transportation costs
• Bicycles provided critical, appropriate transportation enabling households to resume important livelihood, education and service activities

Project Zambia
In 2006, we began work with a USAID-funded consortium led by World Vision International in partnership with CARE International, Africare, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Expanded Church Response (ECR) and the Salvation Army. We partnered with the consortium, called RAPIDS: Reaching HIV/AIDS Affected People with Integrated Development and Support to provide 23,000 bicycles to volunteer health care workers and disease prevention educators caring for people living with and affected by HIV/ AIDS, as well as heads of households of orphans and vulnerable children. We also trained 450 mechanics to ensure a local, qualified system of maintenance and to provide an economic resource for people in the community. Among many positive outcomes of the program, perhaps the most striking was the increase in volunteer retention from 50% to 97%.

Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI)
In support of CHAI, world bicycle relief provided 300 bicycles to assist specific HIV/AIDS initiatives in six African countries. We provided bicycles to health care workers addressing medical needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, mentors working with orphans and vulnerable children, and educators teaching disease prevention.

CURRENT PROJECTS

Bicycles for Educational Empowerment Program
In June 2009, we launched The Bicycles for Educational Empowerment Program, an innovative project that is providing 50,000 bicycles to improve rural Zambian children's access to education. These children are especially at risk for extreme poverty and high HIV/ AIDS infection rates; safe, reliable transportation to school will enable them to have better health and economic outcomes as a result of completing their secondary education. More than 7,000 bicycles have been distributed to date, and initial reports indicate dramatically increased school attendance.

Expansion to Kenya and Zimbabwe
In 2009, World Bicycle Relief began expanding operations in Zimbabwe and Kenya in response to growing demand for a higher quality bicycle and comprehensive service program. In less than a year, we have sold more than 3,000 bicycles to organizations such as the World Health Organization, Catholic Relief Services and Care International. We are committed to providing the highest quality service and to working with organizations to solve their transportation needs.

FUTURE

World Bicycle Relief will continue to work with NGOs and community based organizations to respond to crisis situations where simple, sustainable transportation will improve the health, education and economic situation of people in need. We will meet these urgent transportation needs with the manufacture and distribution of bicycles for areas of the world in crisis. We have begun plans with World Vision and other NGOs to provide comprehensive bicycle programs as part of economic development and relief efforts in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Botswana and Lesotho.