The goal is to donate over 800 bikes to a small village in Namibia. Mike’s Bikes in Berkeley is hosting an “Africa Bike Drive” that will not only ship the bikes to Namibia, but also has partnered with Varsity Painting, which will contribute $30 to the Children’s Hospital of Oakland for each bike.
Why is Mike’s Bikes doing this? This is what they say: “The bicycle can help in the development of many parts of Africa by providing people with an inexpensive and non-polluting vehicle that will give them access to work, food, health care and a better overall quality of life. The bicycle has the power to help and in Africa we’re doing our best to develop the infrastructure that will advance and support it.”
They are working with local people in Namibia along with a Peace Corps volunteer stationed there to get the bikes handed out. So, if you have an old bike (or a new bike) that you’d like to donate, just bring it over to the shop. Go here for more information.
Here are a couple photos of Namibia:
photo by: edgebrook on Flickr. A boy in Katutura, Windoek, Namibia
Photo by: thys4F on Flickr. A man riding a bike in Oshakati, Namibia.
Photo by: waterwin on Flickr. Dead Vlei, Namibia.