Public urged to donate bikes for African schoolchildren

by Gráinne Connolly

People across the Derry City and Strabane District are being asked to donate their unused bikes, to help school children in Africa. 

The local council has teamed up with Rotary Ireland for the campaign 'School Bikes Africa', which aims to make life easier for these school children and improve their chances of educational success. 

For more than 6 years now, Rotary Ireland has collected and refurbished over 2,000 bikes and sent them all to schools in Africa. 

As recent as 5th September, they shipped 150 bikes to The Gambia and are on target to ship a further 300 before the end of this year. 

As schools in Africa are not located in every village, many children have to walk long distances (some over 5 km), every day with adequate food or water. 

The council says, children from the age of four or five often journey to school along sand roads and across fields; where a typical journey could take at least 90 minutes. 

For the first time, Rotary Ireland is sending bikes for children aged 4 to 7 who attend nursery schools. 

It's hoped the bikes will make their journey much easier and help the children become more receptive to learning and less likely to miss out on school days.

Speaking at the local launch event for ‘School Bikes Africa’ at the Pennyburn Recycling Centre, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr John Boyle said: “I am delighted to support this very worthwhile project.

"Many African children live in remote communities, a long way from their nearest school. Without reliable, affordable, motorised transport the only way they can get to school is to walk.

"Having a bicycle makes a world of difference for these children, their families and also their communities.

"By donating your second-hand bike this will enable children to get to school on time and arrive alert instead of exhausted, stay for extra lessons at the end of the school day and remain safe by travelling home from school in daylight.

“Throughout our City and District, hundreds (if not thousands) of bikes are thrown away or lie unused in sheds and garages whilst many schoolchildren in Africa have no access to transport of any kind.

“I would therefore encourage people to donate their unused bikes to this important project which is life changing for schoolchildren in Africa and can dramatically improve their chances of educational success!”

People across the district are being asked to leave their unused bikes at Pennyburn, Strathfoyle or Strahans Road Recycling Centres before Friday 28th September 2018. 

The bikes will then be refurbished and delivered directly to the schools.