Micko O'Byrne

DESPITE THEIR COMMITMENT TO EDUCATION, THOUSANDS OF CHILDREN IN SOUTH AFRICA FIND IT HARD TO GET TO SCHOOL EVERY DAY BECAUSE OF THE LONG DISTANCES THEY HAVE TO WALK.



In rural Kwazulu-Natal, one of the poorest and least developed regions of South Africa where 80% of the population lives below the poverty line, some children walk 5-10 kilometres from their villages to school.

THE VISION IS TO GATHER 100 PEOPLE WHO WILL DONATE AU$100 TO COVER THE COST OF SHIPPING THE CONTAINER. 

To do this responsibly and effectively, the Zulu Bicycle Project is working with an established organisation at each end. On the African end it is working with THE DAVID RATTRAY FOUNDATION whose mission is to help provide education and care for children in the poorest areas of rural southern Africa. The Foundation’s goal is to give these children the chance to lift themselves out of their extremely disadvantaged background by working to improve educational facilities, standards and care.

The Australian partner is BICYCLES FOR HUMANITY, a grassroots, volunteer run organisation focused on simple, sustainable empowerment in the developing world. They do this in the most transparent and practical way by sending refurbished donated bikes from the developed world to partner organisations in countries in need.

They know that a bike can mean not only access to education, but also to health care, fresh water, economic opportunity and community. Breaking the cycle of poverty by providing sustainable transport for one child impacts not only their life but also the lives of their families and communities.


Creating better access to education is what the bicycle project is all about. 

THE GOOD NEWS IS, through Bicycles for Humanity, we now have a container ready to be shipped IMMEDIATELY from Fremantle to Durban. We are ready to go RIGHT NOW. All we need is your support.

People who know us, know that part of our philosophy in life is: 'if you are looking for a helping hand, it’s on the end of your own arm'.  We rarely ask people for money for anything because we always believe in taking responsibility for your own life. But we DO know from our own experience that sometimes a simple word, gesture or act can make a profound impact on one's life. One of these bikes might be that act. So we are asking you now for your help in making this bicycle project a reality.

Every contribution makes a difference, but if 100 of you would join us and donate $100, together we will raise the $10,000 needed to provide bikes to 300 boys and girls.

Please donate NOW and share this message with all your networks. Don't be afraid to oversubscribed to this project as all extra funds will go towards the next container of bikes.

THANK YOU
      
BLAZE AND MICKO O'BYRNE

[email protected]
[email protected]
Web: https://www.facebook.com/zulubicycleproject
Web: www.toyotadreaming.com
Web: www.davidrattrayfoundation.org
Web: www.bicyclesforhumanity.com/Perth/

The $10,000 raised will be used to meet the $6,000 cost of purchasing and outfitting a forty foot container as a bicycle repair workshop complete with tools and spares and the $4,000 cost of shipping the container from Fremantle, Western Australia to Durban, South Africa.

The challenge is that the demand will always exceed the supply of bikes, but that is not a reason not to make a start. The David Rattray Foundation has been working for many years in the Kwazulu-Natal region and has strong relationships with the principals and staff of the 19 local schools they support. Together they will develop an appropriate program to create opportunities for individual children to earn their bicycle. This may be through scholastic progress or any other method the community feels is appropriate. They are best placed to make this decision. Our role is to get the bikes there.