Cape Town – The Bicycling Network (BEN) is making strides in helping disadvantaged communities.
They make an impact by ensuring a reliable supply of donated and affordable bicycles to disadvantaged communities and institutions. To do this they have to secure an ongoing stream of donated bikes from donor partners. BEN distributes these bikes through various projects and Bicycle Empowerment Centres (BECs), entrepreneur-based businesses that they help to set up in communities. The network ensures that beneficiaries can maintain their bikes and that they know how to ride safely. BEN also engages with decision-makers and stakeholders to ensure that non-motorised transport is properly integrated into transport planning.
BEN chief financial officer Yvonne Tripod said, “BEN has formed strong relationships with a number of international donor agencies, including Re-cycle (UK), Bicycles for Humanity (Australia), SOTS (Norway), and Bikes for the World (US). We receive containers of used bikes from these agencies which we import, store and distribute. We also receive bikes from local donors, including individuals and corporate benefactors. BEN also acts as an implementing agent for the distribution of new bikes as part of the South African government’s distribution efforts.”
A key mechanism in the network’s distribution efforts are the Bicycle Empowerment Centres and community partners BEN has established. These centres are managed by community-based entrepreneurs, who receive bikes from BEN and distribute them to their communities. They have been trained in small business management and as bike mechanics and play a role in ensuring the bikes are kept in roadworthy condition.
CEO Tim Mosdell said over 20 years BEN had established several of cycling businesses.
“We have a number of used and new bicycles which are donated from all over the world and those bicycles go a long way in empowering our enterprise development partners, but also to help community organisations. We welcome volunteers with open arms,” he said.
Meschack Ncupetsang, Bicycle Empowerment Centres head for Westlake, told the Weekend Argus he was able to run a outreach project with the help of BEN.
“Bicycling not only helps with addressing socio-economic ills in communities. I have a programme which caters for kids from 9 to 18. BEN has enabled us to access bicycling in an affordable way and taught us how to maintain bicycles.”
People can help the organisation by donating money, second-hand bicycles, bicycle spares, cycling clothes, shoes and helmets. They can also volunteering their time and expertise, help to assemble bicycles and offload them when containers arrive, and assist with fundraising and events.
Ocean View BEC head James Esterhuizen said he had been part of the project since 2012 and it had made a great impact. “It has allowed us to get a taste of bicycle components. There is no price really in helping the community.”