September 16, 2011

TWO WHEELS TO TANZANIA

Delmar man organizing bike collection for overseas aid

Bethlehem — What for most Americans is a playful diversion, source of exercise or even an alternative mode of transportation could be for another person on the other side of the globe a link to a better life.

Delmar resident Charlie Hughes is hoping to provide that link to people in the African nation of Tanzania by gathering bicycles at a collection drive on Saturday, Sept. 17.

Every year, as the fall turns into winter, bicycles are wheeled into basements, propped up in garages or lifted into attics. Some of them will never come out.

“After a while they get put outside, and they get put in the trash. And we could really use these bikes,” Hughes said.

By “we,” he means Pedals for Progress, a nonprofit based in New Jersey that sends bicycles all over the world to developing countries in Africa, Eastern Europe and South America where they can make a big difference.

In these parts of the world, motorized transportation can be scarce or prohibitively expensive, and much of the population gets around on foot. Bicycles can open up a new world of opportunities.

“The people in rural countries and poor places, they don't even have roads. And in places where they do have roads, only the very wealthy can afford cars,” said Pedals for Progress' Beverly Merchant. “It increases their family income immediately one way or another. They can get to their jobs, kids can use them to go to school...and a lot of the bikes become jobs.”

Bikes are used to haul trash, taxi people around and to haul food or other goods to market for sale.

Altogether, Pedals for Progress has collected and distributed over 130,000 bicycles in its 20-year history. The shipment of 500 bikes to Tanzania that the Albany drive will be a part of will be the group's first to that country.

The bikes aren't actually given away to people. They have to purchase them from the local agency distributing the bike at market price.

This serves not only to stimulate the local economy but strengthen the groups Pedals for Progress works with, said Merchant. For example, the Tanzanian shipment will be given to the distributing agency (the Unity in Diversity Foundation), but after selling the bikes and keeping good records that group should be able to pay shipping costs on at least a portion of the next shipment, and so on.

“People who have to pay for a bike value it a lot more,” Merchant added.

In some instances, the sale of the bikes has allowed overseas groups to branch out into other projects like water purification.

Hughes was involved in a Pedals for Progress drive when he lived in New Jersey, where the group is headquartered. Now a resident of Delmar, he's taking up the cause at St. Vincent in Albany. Members of the parish and others are volunteering to work the drive and get the bicycles ready to be shipped.

Donated bikes should be in working or repairable condition. Tricycles won't be accepted, nor will bikes that are in very poor condition.

“We don't mind a little rust on the handlebars, but we don't want any rusted frames. They just cant be used,” Hughes said.

Bicycle donors are also asked to make at least a $10 donation towards the cost of shipping the bike overseas. The cost to get a bike to Tanzania is actually about $40. Both the value of the bike and the transportation donation are tax deductible, and staff at the collection will give donors a receipt on the spot.

The collection will take place at the St. Vincent de Paul Parish Center, 984 Madison Avenue in Albany (across the street from the College of St. Rose) from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17., rain or shine.

For more information on Pedals for Progress, visit p4p.org.

2009 Grants

At the end of 2009, Pangea awarded grants totaling $123,000 to 19 organizations in three regions of the world. We are proud to support the work of these partners who are doing so much to help their communities.

For Unity in Diversity (Tanzania)

$5500 to provide building materials for two vocational training classrooms being built in the Mbeya community. UDF has already secured donation of tools and equipment, arranged for teachers, and lined up work-study opportunities for the first students. Earnings from these work-study arrangements will fund much of the operating expense.

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