Yesterday our group spent most of our day at offices of World Bicycle Relief (WBR), where we learned about the organization and Zambian history from the director of WBR, Dave. WBR delivers bicycles to communities in Zambia, and to neighboring countries. Two of their recipient main groups are students, and volunteer health workers. We learned that many girls don’t go to school and stay home to clean, cook, collect firewood, and take care of their younger siblings. World Bicycle Relief gives 70% of the bicycles to girls to help and encourage schooling for girls in Zambia.
Dave asked us why Africa should matter to us in the United States? Our group came up with many answers to his question many of which where: everything that happens in Africa happens everywhere else. Dave followed up by saying that there is little development in Lusaka and it is much easier to make a difference here than in the U.S. The bikes donated to WBR help volunteers reach patients throughout Zambia. Without the donated bicycles, they may spend hours walking from one village to the next.
After our presentation from Dave, we divided into groups of two and paired up with a factory worker who showed us how to build the bikes. Each group built a bike that will one day help a community member in Zambia. At the end of the day we placed all sixteen bikes into a truck ready for distribution tomorrow!
– Natalia